�State of War� Displaces, Terrorizes Hundreds

UCCP says soldiers desecrated churches in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur. Residents complain that they were used as guides by the soldiers in search of communist guerrillas. Military retorts that these allegations are mere �insinuations.�

By Cheryll D. Fiel and Grace S. Uddin
davaotoday.com

DAVAO CITY � Karapatan, the human-rights group, has accused the Philippine military of committing atrocities against civilians in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur, in the course of retaliatory operations against the communist New People’s Army (NPA).

According to Karapatan and the United Church of Christ in the Philippines, the military has imposed a curfew in Sta. Cruz, restricted the movement of the residents and workers, and harassed villagers by accusing them of being NPA members.

Early this week, Karapatan spokesman Kelly Delgado presented to the media some of the residents who were forced to flee due to the heavy military operations in their villages. The operations, he said, were in retaliation for the military�s recent skirmish with the communists.

Alfredo Tubale, a resident of Upper Langan, a hamlet in Sta. Cruz town, said his house was among those searched by soldiers in the guise of looking for wounded NPA guerrillas and firearms. “How could we have wounded rebels in our hands? We are not doctors,� Tubale told repoters. �The wounded are usually brought to hospitals so the military should be looking there instead.�

(more…)

One Comment to “�State of War� Displaces, Terrorizes Hundreds”

1. » �State of War� Displaces, Terrorizes Hundreds says:

   May 20, 2006 at 1:36 pm

   [...] Read the rest of this story                              [...]