Alyansa ha Pagpanalipod han Tawhanon nga Katungod
ha Sinirangan Bisayas

(Alliance for the Advancement of People's Rights in Eastern Visayas)

KATUNGOD-SB-KARAPATAN
Door C, YKS Compound, Old Road, Sagkahan District, Tacloban City 6500
Philippines

Tel. No. (053) 325 - 2353

January 16, 2004

PRESS RELEASE

Reference:

ALEX G. LAGUNZAD

Secretary-General

KATUNGOD-SB: Cease the red labeling of legal peasant organizations;

Oppose unnecessary military presence in the countryside!

Tacloban City - The militant group Katungod-SB condemns the present climate of fear being sowed and propagated in Brgy. Luneta, Lapaz, Leyte by a private armed group allegedly formed by Brgy. Captain Benedicto Caalim and by the presence of the elements of the 43rd Infantry Battalion who have stationed themselves in its Brgy. Hall.

Some residents of Brgy. Luneta testified that Brgy. Captain Caalim keeps a collection of unlicensed high-powered firearms, namely: a caliber .357, an M-1 Garand rifle, an M-16 rifle, and even a hand grenade. All members of his private armed group are residents of Brgy. Luneta and some of them were identified as: Rodolfo Yepez a.k.a. Doli, 44, the present chief Brgy. tanod, seen carrying an unidentified firearm; Danny Gagapuan, 47, Brgy. tanod, seen carrying a caliber .38 pistol and a hand grenade; Willy Madreza, about 39, a coconut farmer and a former Brgy. tanod; Leo Cartel, about 40, a motorcycle driver; Reynaldo Camino a.k.a Jemin, about 47, a motorcycle driver; Rafael Canales, 44, a coconut farmer; Arturo Bero Caballera, 50, a cockfighting enthusiast and a coconut farmer; seen carrying an unidentified "long" firearm; and Rene Pulga, 36, farmer, seen carrying a caliber.45 and a caliber.357.

On the other hand, the elements of the 43rd IB who have stationed themselves at the Brgy. Hall located at the center of the Brgy. itself, have made no move whatsoever to investigate Brgy. Capt. Caalim's private armed group or confiscate their firearms. The soldiers have also made it virtually impossible for the Brgy. officials to use the Brgy. Hall for their official meetings, not to mention disrupted the peaceful existence of the residents, who are extremely vulnerable to military assault.

The peasants further complained that the soldiers have avoided wearing their official military uniform as to mingle freely with the unsuspecting civilians. If one of them had not worn his 43rd IB shirt on one occasion, he would not have been recognized as a soldier. However, in spite of their efforts to avoid recognition, some of them were identified as a certain Centino, a resident of Brgy. Cantimawa, Burauen, Leyte; a certain Lagario, a resident of Dulag, Leyte; a certain Cinco; and a certain Rosario, believed to be their commanding officer.

Alex Lagunzad, secretary-general of Katungod-SB declared "Through Protocol 2 of the International Humanitarian Law such situations (military occupancy of a Brgy. Hall) are not allowed because it puts the residents in unnecessary danger".

Jessie Calinao, chairperson of the progressive peasant organization Luneta Farmers' Association (LFA) and member of the BAYAN MUNA (BM)
partylist group believes that the military stationed in Brgy. Luneta aims to protect and supervise Brgy. Captain Caalim's private armed group, who are allegedly members of the Civilian Intelligence Group-Barangay Intelligence Network (CIG-BIN) which aims to monitor and stop the activities of progressive organizations such as the LFA and BM partylist group. He also complains of the military's red labeling, accusing them as supporters or even members of the New People's Army (NPA).

He expressed his concern over the still unresolved death of Juanito Camino, secretary-general of the Northeastern Municipalities Peasant Alliance (NEMPA), murdered by several unidentified men last July 2003.He fears that he, as well as other officers and members of LFA and BM will also be killed for the sole reason of belonging to progressive organizations.

The officers of LFA have already lodged a formal complaint against Brgy. Captain Benedicto Caalim and the elements of the 43rd IB at the
Commission on Human Rights Regional Office in Tacloban City along with Katungod-SB.###