AHRC urges for an impartial investigation on the killing of 8 farmers in Leyte

By RAY P. GASPAY
November 23, 2005

CATBALOGAN, Samar  –  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), a Hong Kong-based regional human rights organization, calls today in a globally circulated email of urgent appeal to human rights defenders for an intervention in asking the Philippine government, in particular the Ombudsman for Military and the Commission on Human Rights to conduct an independent and impartial investigation without delay into the killings of 8 agrarian reform farmer beneficiaries perpetrated by the elements of the 19th Infantry Battalion, 8th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army in Brgy. San Agustin, Palo, Leyte in the early morning of Monday, November 21, 2005.

It was reported that farmers belonging to the San Agustin Farmer Beneficiaries Association (SAFBA) together with some members of Bayan Muna Partylist were about to do their 'balik-uma' or positioning on the land awarded to them by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) based on the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP), when elements of the 19th Infantry Battalion led by Lt. Adrian Benedicto suddenly opened fire on the farmers at the place where at least 46 people were staying.

It that incident the farmers were joined by members of the Bayan Muna, a party list organization. It was the Bayan Muna members who had been helping the farmers in the follow up of their papers in this particular land dispute until the land was awarded to them, according to the account of some survivors.

Initial report said that 7 people died on the spot but one of the wounded died at the hospital while being treated. Several wounded victims who suffered gunshot and shrapnel wounds were admitted at the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center (EVRMC) in Tacloban City for medical treatment.

Seven of those killed were identified as Bernabe Borra Jr. y Barbosa of Brgy. Teraza, Palo, Leyte; Eric Nogal y Selada; Roel Obijas y Lacaba; Perlito Borra; Gerry Almerino of Brgy Capirawan, Palo, Leyte; Eufemia Borra y Barbosa of Brgy. San Agustin, Palo, Leyte; and Alma Bartoline. Bartoline was seven months pregnant at the time of her death.

Eleven from the wounded victims of the incident where identified as Ramy Cumpio (organizer of Bayan Muna partylist), Mark Pansa/Monsa, Ferdinand Montanejos, Bernabe Borra Sr., Ranilo Orseda, Berlito Barbosa y Borra, Ismael Regato, Cora Bernabe, Richard Cornesta y Margallo, Christopher Bayase, and Ariel Timbo Capatoy.

It was also reported that eight persons have been arrested and detained by the military and police in Palo, Leyte. They were identified as Marivic Macawile, secretary-general of KADAMAY and organizer of Bayan Muna, a resident of Brgy. Utap, Tacloban City; Joselito Tobe, secretary-general of Concerned Citizen's for Justice and Peace (CCJP-Metro Tacloban) and Bayan Muna, a resident of Brgy. Cabuynan, Tanauan, Leyte; Arnel Dizon y Margallo; Mariel Obijas y Dizon, a resident of Brgy. San Agustin, Palo, Leyte; Eulogio Pilapil, a resident of Brgy. San Agustin, Palo, Leyte; Artemio Amante, a resident of Brgy. Capirawan, Palo, Leyte; Baltazar Mardo, a resident of Brgy. Salvacion, Alang-alang, Leyte; and Bernardo Lantajo, a resident of Brgy. San Agustin, Palo, Leyte.

Human rights organizations in Eastern Visayas claimed that the incident was a pure massacre by the military of innocent farmers occupying the area suspected to be members of the New People’s Army.

The military however claimed that the incident was an encounter. Military report said that it was a legitimate operation by the elements of the 19th IB after they received report from the civilian populace regarding the presence of armed group conducting a meeting in Barangay San Agustin. Maj. Lope Dagoy, commanding officer of the Army’s 19th Infantry Battalion based in Kananga, Leyte immediately dispatched a platoon of soldiers to conduct operations in the place where the armed group was located. The report said that the armed group, upon sensing the presence of the soldiers, fired the first shot that prompted the soldiers to fire back, which resulted to the killing of 8 persons believed to be members of the New People’s Army.

The military had in the past accused the party list organization Bayan Muna and its members as being sympathizers and combatants of the New Peoples Army. Gen. Jovito Palparan, the former commander of the 8th Infantry Division, has labeled the progressive party-list as a 'recruitment agency of the NPAs' during his term as commanding general.