Solons seek probe into military raid on party-list confab

Militant lawmakers yesterday denounced a military raid last Sunday on a conference of party-lists in Cagayan Valley and immediately called for a House inquiry into the incident.

At a press briefing, the lawmakers, together with their party-list leaders from Cagayan Valley and human rights organization Karapatan, denounced the raid conducted by elements of the 17th IBPA and 5th ID of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) last June 10, 2009 of the joint conference of progressive party-lists.

They described the military’s recent incursion as “renewed spate of attacks and harassment of party-list groups critical of the administration.

The local party-list leaders recounted the raid conducted by about 30 fully-armed men wearing ski masks, camouflage pants and combat boots in Brgy. Masisit in Sanchez Mira town, Cagayan, where the leaders of party-list groups Gabriela, Bayan Muna, Anakpawis, and Kabataan held a consultation regarding the 2010 elections. The party-list leaders claimed the armed men took their laptops, cellphones, bags and cash.

“It appears that, at the height of the anti-con-ass protests, the systematic and violent attacks against members and leaders of progressive party-lists are also escalating. Again and again, this government has resorted to draconian measures in order to gag the militant groups critical of this administration. This has to stop,” said Gabriela Women’s Party secretary general Cristina Palabay.

Palabay also noted that there were seven women among the leaders who suffered from the physical assault, threats, and illegal seizure of properties, among them Gretchen Valdez, Gabriela Women’s Party coordinator in Cagayan Valley.

“They are among those who were traumatized in the said incident. An investigation should be immediately conducted, as well as the retrieval of the belongings of the victims,” Palabay said.

Senior Deputy Minority Leader and Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo also denounced the raid which, he claimed, was part of the dreaded Oplan Bantay Laya 2.

“We denounce the climate of impunity reigning in Cagayan province in which suspected military elements recently got away with harassment and intimidation, illegal search and seizure, divestment and destruction of properties and physical assault inflicted on 19 unarmed activists,” Ocampo said, noting that the victims were regional leaders of people’s organizations and progressive party-list groups.

“The perpetrators are believed to be elements of the Army’s 17th Infantry Battalion under the command of Lt. Col. Jacinto Bareng, who reports to MGen. Nestor Ochoa, commanding general of the 5th Infantry Division,” Ocampo said.

Ocampo said the group had just wound up a planning workshop and had just retired to their rooms when the armed men swooped down on their sleeping quarters at midnight, poked guns at the terrified men and women, manhandled three of them, and carted away belongings, including laptops and cell phones. –Charlie Manalo, Daily Tribune