By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent
ORGANIZED indigenes yesterday filed a complaint against soldiers, militiamen and police officers for allegedly trampling on the rights of indigenes in Bukidnon since May.
The complaint was filed with the regional office of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR). It accused soldiers, militiamen, police officers of committing human rights violations ranging from threats resulting in a mass evacuation, illegal arrests, planting of evidence to murder.
The lumad group Kalumbay in northern Mindanao alleged that a militia group was behind the killing of indigene Andy Latoan while he was hauling off corn in Sitio Miyaray, Barangay Mandakihan in Cabanglasan town in Bukidnon, on July 6, 2017.
Kalumbay said the farmer was killed by members of the paramilitary group “Alamara” which is said to be operating under the Army’s 8th Infantry Battalion.
Jomorito Goaynon, chairperson of the Kalumbay in northern Mindanao, accompanied two indigenes who complained on behalf of their families.
Goaynon appealed to CHR regional director Leanne Ivy Abrina to ensure a no-nonsense investigation into the alleged human rights abuses against Bukidnon’s indigenes.
He said Kalumbay documented the human rights violations in Bukidnon since May, the month President Duterte placed Mindanao under martial law.
The two-page complaint also cited the case of some 100 indigene families who evacuated from Cabanglasan, Bukidnon to the public plaza in Malaybalay City in May due to alleged threats by soldiers from the 8th IB.
Goaynon also cited the case of Jose Sedon, a Tigwahanon from San Fernando, Bukidnon, who was allegedly arrested and detained at the provincial jail in Malaybalay in June 22 without a clear case.
In July 16, Goaynon said, members of the tribe Tagtabulon were allegedly threatened by soldiers from the 58th Infantry Battalion because they staged a tribal assembly in Kibanban, Balingasag town which is near the boundaries of Misamis Oriental and Bukidnon.
“Gi-ingnan sila sa mga sundalo nga dakpon sila kon dili moundang sa ilang organization,” said Goaynon.
Amelia Omandam of New Eden, Pangantucan Bukidnon, said her husband Alfredo was arrested by officers from the Provincial Public Safety Company of the Bukidnon police in the morning of July 19.
Since the police have no case against Afredo, she said, the officers allegedly planted evidence to make it appear that he was keeping a grenade.
Amelia said the police raided their house, subsequently charged him with illegal possession of explosive, and had him detained at the provincial jail.
“Wala man gyoy sala akong bana, gi-plantingan lang siya ug granada,” Omandam said.
Tito Valdehueza, a special investigator of the CHR, assured Kalumbay that the Commission would look into the complaint and validate the information provided by the group.
Valdehueza said if CHR investigators find out that there is a case, it would be filed with the Department of Justice through prosecutors.
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