Probe of rights abuses pressed

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines (PNA) – An international human rights advocate asked the Commission on Human Rights to investigate human rights violations allegedly committed by elements of the 79th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army following an encounter between the New People’s Army and government troops last March 16 in Sitio Payaw-payawan, Nagbinlod, Sta. Catalina in Negros Oriental.

Three suspected rebels were killed in two separate clashes with the NPA and the Philippine Army’s Scout Rangers.

Commission on Human Rights (CHR)-Negros Oriental special field investigator Jess Cañete told reporters on Thursday that a certain Katharina Junghardt had sent emails to CHR chair Loreta Ann Rosales, who in turn, forwarded the request to him.

Junghardt claimed in her email that a group of volunteers of the Karapatan-Central Visayas’ Human Rights Monitoring Team, whom she identified as Christopher Solano, Althea Villagonzalo, Whelgester Paglinawan and Manuel
Bentillo, had been illegally arrested and detained at the Sta. Catalina police station by soldiers form the Alpha Company of the 79th Infantry Battalion.

According to Junghardt, the team was documenting human rights violations following a request from local farmers for the shooting of Marvin Villegas, allegedly by members of the 1st Company of the First Scout Rangers Battalion.

Junghardt further claimed that the HR team and 11 farmers were assisting Villegas to get medical help when they were all allegedly arrested by members of the 79th IB.

Prior to Junghardt’s request, and immediately after the encounters in March, Philippine Army officials had debunked the allegations of human rights abuses as mere propaganda.