Grecil’s Parents File Raps Vs Soldiers; Holganza Doubts Girl Was Child Warrior
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Holganza suspects that Gregorio is the one who is connected with the NPA. The official noted that during a search of his residence after the clash, the soldiers found an M14 rifle “elaborately hidden.”
Holganza also said there was no reason to punish his men for the killing of Buya although he said that he is willing to apologize with the girl’s family once it is finally established that she is not a child warrior.
Ay present, he said no initial sanctions have been taken against 2Lt. Francis John Gabawa, who led the operation, and his men — all from the Army’s 67th Infantry Battalion, since the March 31 clash that also left a soldier dead.
“Why is he going to be accountable? The issue is whether she is a child warrior or not. The issue of her (Buya) being a child warrior or not and the issue of her death are different,” Holganza said.
“What we are seeing is that her death, at the very least, was a crossfire incident,” he said.
Capt. Jose Francis dela Fuente, spokesman of the Army’s 8th Infantry Division, earlier reported that the girl was indeed a child warrior.
On the other hand, Holganza said: “There was no conclusion yet in the initial investigation that she is a child warrior.” He said he is not convinced that Gelacio is a “child warrior.”
The Army general also categorically belied some reports that quoted him as saying that Gelacio was good at handling a firearm.
“She was seen holding a gun but she was not seen firing… Reports attributed to me as saying she was good at handling a firearm, I never said that. I categorically deny that I said that she is good at handling a firearm,” he said.
Asked what made him doubt that Gelacio is a child warrior, Holganza merely said: “She is a child. At the very least, granted that she is not a child warrior, I am appealing to the other side not to let children play around with firearms.” (davaotoday.com, with a Philippine News Agency report)
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Photo Essay: A call for a stop to human rights violations in Compostela Valley
April 30th, 2007 at 10:37 am
Responsibility of Civilian Population, Immeasurable:
Civility is threatened when civilians fail to act against local lawlessnes. When whole community fails to act early on with the determination and steadfastness to drive out these elements, by showing outrage, that enough is enough, and that mindless killings and retaliations don’t belong here, there should be no surprise that lawlessness will take over. These elements strike on the human psyche by fear; it’s an enemy within that needs to be overcome. Even in modern times, there will always be rotten apples in the bunch. Lacking the moral compass, when these rotten apples are allowed to proliferate fear, chaos takes precedence. Let me tell you what is really wrong, the acts or even thoughts of taking someone’s life when that someone speaks hers or his own mind out loud. Such act of repression is archaic, very tribal, uneducated, mindless, immature, and worst, evil, to think that we live in a modern global society. Let them say what they will, but never, never hurt or kill someone. This act is also a very basic violation of human rights, and our own ignorance of morals, or lack thereof, helps fuel this kind of acts to perpetual retribution, that is, if we don’t act ourselves. And when it’s too late, and things go wrong, military action is morally justified. Civilians must then be willing to suffer the fangs of military actions around them to deal with these elements. It’s very, very unfortunate that an innocent child can become a casualty, my heart cries out to the families of the innocents caught in crossfire. Being in the military once, if I were the squad leader or platoon leader involved, I would loose sleep if I don’t take it upon myself to operate tirelessly, night and day, seeking the enemy, bringing them to justice, to help personally reconcile the fate of the innocents. Likewise, the military must accept the reality that civilians can’t trust them and will remain suspicious; they have the most difficult task to win the battle, but they also must win their (civilians) trust. Years of oppression and political killings perpetrated by the very same people sworn to uphold the law has etched a deep mistrust on the youths, who, if not already the outlaws, are now the same civilians the military must protect. The local civilians however, have more important battle, vigilance, better education for their youths, and fighting poverty. Parents, neighbors, family members, churches, and the military, must act together, and educate the youths to protect themselves from the snares of the outlaw life. Outlaws and would-be outlaws: pick-up your shovels, and pens, instead of guns and ammos to rebuild your own life, your family, your community, your country.