Screen capture of the video posted on the Facebook account of Tagakolu Aku on March 9, 2016.
TAGUM CITY — The Commission on Human Rights on Thursday, March 17, said it will be sending a team from Manila to investigate the torture case of an indigenous farmer that was allegedly tortured by the military and militias in Demoloc, Malita, Davao Occidental on February 19.
In an interview with Davao Today, Fr. Joey Ganio Evangelista, MJ said the CHR team will arrive today and it will be headed by Atty. Jacqueline de Guia. He said the team will be conducting an in-depth investigation to find out if the incident warrants a formal filing of charges against the military and militias implicated in the incident
The story and video of the torture of Orlando Engo, alias Kaido, 52 years old in Barangay Demoloc was posted on Facebook by Evangelista on March 9.
A Facebook post on Monday, March 14 by Tagakolu Aku, where the video and article was posted by Evangelista, said that the victim was reportedly threatened not to push through with the case.
The post reads: “Army torture victim, Orlando “Kaido” Engo of Demoloc, was threatened last night by Ramon Posadas, father of Patrick Posadas (the fat man in the video laughing while watching Kaido being tortured) telling him not to push through with the case. The barangay chair of Demoloc, Bellarita “Inday” Alcordo, did the same today (March 14) at Malita town when Kaido was brought by the Mission for medical check-up at the District Hospital.”
But Engo is pursuing charges against his perpetrators identified as Army Corporal Sandy Batolbatol and members of the Special CAFGU Armed Auxiliary (SCAA) under the 72nd Infantry Battalion.
The suspects have been placed “under arrest” by the Army pending their investigation.
The CHR team will be at Demoloc until Saturday, March 19.(davaotoday.com)
