By Paulo C. Rizal, Davao Today Intern
DAVAO CITY – A farmer who was accused of being a New People’s Army member was allegedly beaten to death by the military on May 4 at Barangay Kalapaton, Kitaotao, Bukidnon.
Residents reported that Emelio B. Roflo, 55, was about to work in his farm around 4:30 in the morning unaware that soldiers were camping in his farm.
Residents also said a military encounter happened near the victim’s farm the previous night.
Roflo was buried on May 18.
Virgilio Lebor, cousin of Roflo, said he died of “intense beating, resulting to fractured ribs and internal hemorrhage.” Lebor witnessed the autopsy on June 4.
Roflo’s remains were dug out June 3 after his wife sought dialog with Governor Jose Maria Zubiri.
Captain Alberto Caber, chief public information officer of the Eastern Mindanao Command Chief, said they will verify the incident from ground officials.
Lebor said the victim’s family has already filed a case.
Juanito Binaton, secretary of the farmer’s group Kahugpongan sa mga Mag-uuma sa Kitaotao (KMK) said it is because of the death of civilians like Roflo that they call for the pull out of the military from their communities.
On Tuesday, more than 2,000 farmers put up a barricade along Davao-Bukidnon Highway in Kitaotao to call for the pull out of all military detachments from their communities, saying that Army presence “incites fear and chaos” and affects their farming activities.
Binaton said the military would enter their communities with medical missions. But then residents would be forced to register their names for the military’s own census to track down farmers, he said.
“Ang buhaton nila, imbestigaron ang tao, psywaron, pangutan-on asa daw ang NPA (They would investigate the residents, they intimidate them, asking them where the NPAs are),” he told Davao Today in an interview on Tuesday.
As a result, farmers were not able to tend to their farms out of fear of harassment from the military. Their produce were already affected by drought since January.
“Ang among pangayo, i-pull out nang mga military diha sa nagkadaiyang barangay kay sila manglapas sa tawhanong katungod. Ikaduha, kanang magsubay gyud sila sa balaod nga gipirmahan, ang CARHRIHL. Giingon man didto nga ang military, dili pwede magkampo diha sa komunidad. Pero ang nahitabo, gihimo nilang kampo ang among mga barangay, mga sitio, mga iskwelahan namo.”
(What we are asking is for the military to be pulled out from the communities because they violate human rights. Secondly, that they should follow CARHRIHL. According to that document, the military are prohibited from encampment in the communities, but what’s happening is that they are now using our barangay halls and schools as their living quarters),” Binaton said.
The Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) was signed between the National Democratic Front of the Philippines and the Government of the Phillipines on March 16, 1998 in The Hague, The Netherlands. It was approved on April 10, 1998 by NDFP National Council Chairperson Mariano Orosa and on August 7, 1998 by President Joseph E. Estrada.
The objectives of the Agreement include to “guarantee the protection of human rights to all Filipinos under all circumstances” and to “protect the civilian population and individual civilians” and “those who do not or have ceased to participate in the armed hostilities.”
Meanwhile, Administrative Officer Engr. Eleuterio Vicente speaking for Kitaotao Mayor Lorenzo Gawilan said that the Army’s directive to operate in the area does not come from the mayor, adding that they cannot order for the pull-out of the military.
“Ingon pa ni Mayor ganina, dili man na sa munisipyo gikan ang order nga pag operation mo dira. Sa mga taga-AFP man na ug sa ila pung mga kadagkuan (Just as what mayor said a while ago, AFP’s order to operate does not come from the municipality. It comes from the AFP’s leadership),” he said. (davaotoday.com)
