Military Operations Claim Civilian Lives in Camarines Sur

Following incidents of New People’s Army (NPA) offensives against government forces in Camarines Sur late July, the military responded to make the score even. Unfortunately, a report by the human rights group Karapatan showed that cases of massacre and torture in the province, allegedly perpetrated by the military, victimized no more than the civilians.

BY AUBREY SC MAKILAN
Bulatlat.com

Cabanbanan massacre 

According to Karapatan-Camarines Sur report signed by its coordinator Eugene I. Severo, three persons were massacred last July 29 in San Fuego, Barangay Cabanbanan, Balatan, Camarines Sur in retaliation for the NPA killing of a paramilitary man on July 25.

At 1 a.m. of July 29, Magdalena Ani, the barangay captain’s wife, together with fellow villagers Felix Pardines and Amador San Fuego, was attending to Ani’s swines which were about to give birth when three armed men came and introduced themselves as NPAs. They demanded to talk to Pardines and San Fuego while firing in the air. The gunfire roused the other 13 persons sleeping in the house.

Magdalena’s 15-year-old son, Bernie died instantly when a bullet hit his head while his sister, Beverly, 17, fell unconscious from a bullet wound on the shoulder. Pardines and San Fuego however also died. Pardines sustained lacerations in the abdomen and neck which almost severed his head. San Fuego’s body on the other hand was found at the other side of the road.

Magdalena, who hid behind the pigpen, heard the men shout, “Lumabas ka d’yan Magdelana at palabasin mo ang iyong asawa!.Kapag military tumatago kayo (Come out Magdalena and bring out your husband!.Why do you hide when it is the military)!” She testified seeing about 20 soldiers leaving their place, with some of them proceeding to neighboring houses.

According to Karapatan-Camarines Sur, the armed men were CAFGU members under the 42nd Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army. 

It also said that the armed men destroyed the family’s furniture and appliances including a 21-inch colored television, karaoke and video and compact disc (VCD) player, and a motorcycle.

Meanwhile, Junie San Fuego, a member of the Citizens Armed Force Geographical Unit (CAFGU) in the area, was earlier invited by the barangay captain together with Amador San Fuego, to talk about a teacher’s complaint against them. That same day, he was found dead 10 meters away from the barangay hall.

The NPA admitted over a radio program that they executed him because he was the leader of notorious hoodlums in the village and served as a military informer. Despite the NPA pronouncement, Ani’s family was reportedly made to pay for the execution.

Sipocot twin incidents

Similar incidents happened in another town of Camarines Sur, during the same period. A separate fact-finding mission conducted by Karapatan-Camarines Sur in Barangays Cotmo and Aldezar, Sipocot town on Aug. 7 documented the following cases:

Cotmo

At about 8 a.m. July 27, George Balaoro, who was herding his three cows, couple Elias and Susan Arevalo, who were gathering firewood, Arnel Mendoza, and Alvin Cariño were arrested and interrogated separately by about 50 soldiers in Sitio Ligpit, Cotmo.

They were all asked about their alleged involvement with the NPA unit that raided on July 25 the Cabusao Municipal Hall/Philippine National Police (PNP) office, leaving a policeman dead and another injured. The rebels took with them at least seven high-powered rifles and a base radio. Cabusao is a small town near Sipocot.

Balaoro, who was blindfolded with his hands tied behind his back, was beaten for an hour under heavy rain, the Karapatan report said.

Aldezar

A day after the Cotmo incident, cousins Noel and Bernardino Badong were beaten by soldiers they met on their way home to Barangay Aldezar, Sipocot.

The soldiers forcibly searched their packs for mobile phones, groceries and rice, among other things. The soldiers allegedly accused them of being members of the NPA unit that staged the July 25 raid.

Denying that he knew a “Ka Maning,” an NPA the soldiers were looking for, Bernardino was beaten up and forced to eat pepper. The soldiers, Karapatan said, also put salt into his nose.

On the other hand, the soldiers burned Noel’s buttocks with cigarette butts while his hands were tied behind his back. The soldiers also pummeled him with their rifles, the report said.

At 5 p.m., they were brought to a house owned by a certain Arnel Lerio outside the village proper, and forced to sign a statement which said the military never harmed them and that the military’s charges against them were true.

Meanwhile, Diana Lyn, Noel’s nine-year old daughter, was coming home from school and accidentally saw his father being beaten, resulting to a psychological trauma. Diana Lyn was unable to speak a word until the following day. Since then, according to Karapatan, she cries whenever her father leaves their house.

Bernardino was released at 8 p.m. The soldiers left at midnight, taking Noel with them and a 14-year old boy named Romulo Aviles, Jr, for an operation in the nearby Sitio Balabag. The Karapatan report said M-14 bullets were placed between Aviles’ fingers to force him to serve as the soldiers’ guide.

The Karapatan fact-finding mission team, which included representatives of 16 organizations, recommended the filing of cases against the military officers and men involved in all cases. Bulatlat.com

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