CHR: No martial law abuses in Maguindanao
By Ryan Rosauro
Philippine Daily Inquirer – www.inquirer.net
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
AMPATUAN, MAGUINDANAO—The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has found no rights violation during the eight-day martial rule in the province.
CHR Commissioner Jose Manuel Mamauag said no complaint of rights abuse had been documented by a team of lawyers sent by the commission to conduct field surveys in Maguindanao.
But despite the lifting of martial law late on Dec. 12 and the supposed return of civilian authority, the provincial government remained closed on Monday, as did the municipal governments of Mamasapano and Datu Unsay.
The acting heads of these government units are still to be appointed by Ansaruddin Alonto Adiong, the acting governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
Adiong had said he would await the results of the finance and personnel audit before making appointments.
Evacuees
Hundreds of families living in known bailiwicks of the powerful Ampatuan clan have yet to return to their homes.
On Monday, Mamauag said he had asked officials of Barangay Salman in Ampatuan town to tell evacuees that the Army had declared their areas safe.
But 111 families were still staying in makeshift shelters around the barangay hall on the national highway in Salman.
The families fled their homes in Sitios Talpuk, Upper Masalay and Upper Malating, which are near the site of the Nov. 23 massacre of 57 people in Ampatuan.
Barangay Councilor Noriah Dalamba said the evacuation started on Nov. 23 itself because the residents feared being caught in a crossfire.
The evacuees return to the barangay to tend their farms and check their households during the day, Dalamba said.
They are still waiting to be assured of their safety, she said.
Ghost village
The interior barangay of Nabundas in nearby Shariff Saydona Mustapha town, which used to have a population of more than 1,000, has become a ghost village.
The houses are deserted except for a very few.
A woman, who arrived mid-morning of Sunday with her husband and two children, said they just came to check on their farm animals.
She said it would take some time before the residents came back, and that most of them had fled to their relatives in the nearby Shariff Aguak and Mamasapano towns, and even as far as Esperanza town in Sultan Kudarat.
“During the day, we open our small store to soldiers stationed in the village. They buy cigarettes, alcohol, mobile phone loads,” the woman said.
Nabundas serves as entry point to Shariff Aguak’s Barangay Koloy, which is known as the stronghold of the Ampatuan clan’s militias.
Live ammo
In Datu Piang town, Catholic priest Eduardo Vasquez warned residents to be careful of possible live ammunition buried hurriedly by fleeing militias loyal to the Ampatuan clan.
Vasquez said an 8-year-old girl from Damabalas village had been treated for shrapnel wounds in her right hand at the Catholic parish’s health center.
Army sergeant main suspect in shooting civilian dead
By Thom Pica
The Manila Times – www.manilatimes.net
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Camp Bado Dangwa, La Trinidad, Benguet: A technical sergeant of the Philippine Army voluntary surrendered to the Bontoc Police Station after a shootout along the road with an armed civilian due to traffic road altercation in Tocucan Barangay, Bontoc, Mountain Province the other day.
The suspect was identified as Technical Sergeant Ricardo Abalos, detailed at the 77th Infantry Battalion and currently the training officer of newly recruits CAFGU in Mountain Province.
According to the initial reports by Police Chief Insp. Marcial Faed, the fatality is identified as Abelardo Fakat Jr., 54 years old, married and resident of Barangay Caluttit Bontoc Mountain Province.
Faed said that a witness who is a member of the CAFGU identified as Ulysis Sawad, 53, resident of Barangay Tocucan, told the police that he and suspect Abalos, were proceeding towards Bontoc town aboard a motorcycle when they heard the horn of the victim’s vehicle following behind them.
Abalos then pulled over on the side of the road to give way but altercation ensued when the victim alighted from his sport runner Toyota revo with plate number PN 141.
Heated argument between the two prompted them to pulled out and draw their guns and after the shoot out the witness said he saw the vehicle of the victim speeding off to Bontoc. Abalos called him to go back to the camp but the victim allegedly followed them and reportedly fired at them.
No comments:
Post a Comment