CHR Moves for Indictment of Scout Rangers Over NPA Suspect’s Death

Unable to get even with NPA guerrillas who had killed and injured government soldiers in an encounter in Sipalay, Negros Occidental on Nov. 14 last year, members of the Army’s 61^st IB arrested a poor peasant in a military operation. Moreto Arcadenia, the NPA suspect, was detained, tortured for a month and left dead late December. The Commissioner on Human Rights says the soldiers should answer for their crime before the Ombudsman.

By Karl G. Ombion
Bulatlat.com/Cobra-ans

BACOLOD CITY - Can justice finally be served in the case of Moreto Arcadenia, the poor peasant who was reportedly taken away by government soldiers, tortured for a month to make him confess he is an NPA guerrilla and left dead on Dec. 27 last year?

Lawyer Dominador Calamba, member of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), revealed July 30 that soldiers from the Army’s 61st Infantry Battalion, would surely be indicted in the case of Arcadenia.  The peasant, whose whereabouts could not be traced by his family and human rights groups, succumbed to massive injuries he sustained in the beating more than a month after his ordeal.

The CHR member also said that Arcadenia was not a member of the New People’s Army (NPA), contrary to military claims for which he was reportedly beaten up and died.

Calamba’s statement boosted the claims of the Arcadenia family and human rights groups that the 61st IB should answer for the death of Arcadenia and the harassment of several others.

Scout Rangers

Calamba however did not mention the names of soldiers involved but indicated they were members of the AFP’s elite Scout Rangers with ranks ranging from corporal to lieutenant.

The rights commissioner assured representatives of the human rights alliance Karapatan and the Civil Liberties Movement that justice will prevail, as he accused the Army, particularly the 61st IB under Maj. John Aying, of committing major lapses in the Arcadenia case.

Aying had insisted that Arcadenia sustained wounds after falling off a cliff.

Arcadenia was arrested by elements of the 61^st IB following an encounter between soldiers and New People’s Army (NPA) guerrillas Nov. 14 last year in Sipalay hinterlands, some 160 kms south of Bacolod. Human rights groups said the soldiers apparently vented their ire on Arcadenia, who was from Barangay Manlocahoc, Sipalay by beating him up for a month.

Because of wounds he sustained due to the beating, Arcadenia was then brought by the soldiers to Cauayan District Hospital under a different name. He was later brought to Dumaguete City where he was found dead by his relatives and human rights groups.

Arcadenia left a wife and three children who are now under the care of Karapatan.

Calamba, meanwhile, raised several questions over the conduct of the military operations in Sipalay including the way the soldiers brought the dying Arcadenia to Dumaguete and hide his identity.

“Anong klaseng pamamaraan ng military ‘yan?  From whom were they hiding him? From the rebels who were in the mountains, or from themselves?” he asked.

The Arcadenia case has already been submitted to the Office of the Deputy Ombudsman for the Military where the suspects in the killing of the peasant can be prosecuted, he also revealed. Bulatlat.com

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