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Lumad group PASAKA decry harassment,
repression

 

PASAKA,
Confederation
of Lumad Organizations in Southern Mindanao files complaints against Lt. Col. Ferdinand Buding,
commanding officer of the 28^th
Infantry Battalion, Philippine
Army before the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) today for the
malicious power point presentation entitled “The Army” which showed photo of
Kerlan “Lala”
Fanagel being accused as a rebel communist operating in Compostela Valley and
for the wanted posters where photo of Mr. Fanagel appeared which are posted in
populated areas such as the bus terminal and restaurants in Compostela,
Compostela Valley.

 

PASAKA
has been receiving reports from the local residents in Sitio Valma, Brgy. Ngan,
Compostela that the 28^th IB, PA who is continuously launching
military operations through the Re-enginnered Special Operations Team (RSOT)
had been instigating their “pulong-pulong” or meeting with the local officials
and residents in Compostela since July this year.  According to the
reports, it has been a strict policy that nobody must take any minutes or
photos from the said pulong-pulong, which is actually part of the
counter-insurgency operations of the military.

 

Last
July 27, 2008, the same pulong-pulong was launched by the 28^th IB,PA
at Brgy. Ngan, Compostela, Compostela
Valley .

 

One
of the residents recalled that the main part of the said “pulong-pulong” was
the showing of the power-point presentation entitled “The Army.” “Natingala na
lang man mi nga anaa man ang dagway ni Lala, ang nailhan namong lider sa
organisasyon sa mga lumad sa rehiyon nga PASAKA sa power-point ug matud pa ni
Lt. Col. Buding nga mao kuno to ang dagway sa usa ka wanted nga rebeldeng NPA
nga ginganlag Nelson Villanueva alyas Kumander Lala nga naga-operate sa
Compostela Valley ug si si bisan kinsa kuno nga makakita sa maong dagwaya
isumbong dayon sa mga kasundalohan nga anaa sa lugar,” one of the residents
recounted.

 

The
military also claimed that the person who appeared in their power-point
presentation known as Commander Lala is now seen in Davao
City because according to their intelligence report that he is in
sick-leave and that their intelligence team has been monitoring him in the
city.

 

On
August 11, 2008, Mr. Tony Salubre, spokesperson of Kilusang Magbubukid ng
Pilipinas (KMP) who personally knows Kerlan “Lala” Fanagel went to Compostela,
Compoetela Valley for a speaking engagement.  Upon arriving at the
Compostela terminal, he noticed several wanted posters posted in the vicinity
of the terminal and what he saw was a wanted list with photos of accused
leaders of Communist Rebels operating in the region.  He was surprised to
see that among the photos shown was the face of  Kerlan “Lala” Fanagel but
his name in the said poster was Minandro Villanueva @ Nelso/ Bos – NMRC
Secretary, Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental, Compostela Valley
, portion of Agusan del Sur, Davao del Sur and Cotabato.

 

The
texts in the aforementioned wanted poster (where photo of Kerlan “Lala” Fanagel
appeared) is in vernacular (Bisaya) when translated reads: “Wanted Rebel
Communist, People who are in pretense but big impediment in the development of
our economy, brains of poverty and chaos in our country. [Shown: 15 photos with
names and areas where they operate]. These people are the brains in making the
Filipino people fight. Lazy versus  hardworking, poor versus rich,
students versus the school owner, workers versus the company owner, but behind
the flame they fanned to make the people fight, there is their extortion face
against the hard-working people and businessmen, putting in fire the vehicles
and the properties of the businessmen, and killing the people who won’t give
money every month in the area where the NPA are operating. Whoever helps in
arresting these people “DEAD or ALIVE,” will receive a reward-money from the
Government. For more information, call or approach the officials of the
Barangay, Municipality, Provincial or the Military Soldiers or cell NR:
0921.729.8341”

 

“It
is clear that this is deliberately done and obviously a desperate attempt of
the military specifically
Lt. Col. Ferdinand Buding of the 28th IB,PA to discredit my credibility as a
legal officer of PASAKA and worst tainting my personality by red-baiting
thereby creating them a license to kill me anytime, anywhere.  This is
mind-conditioning the public that it would be fine if I get killed, now if
something bad happens to me, you already know who’s to blame, PASAKA Secretary
General Kerlan Fanagel said.

 

Fanagel
also said “the military hopes that their dirty old tactic will work and this
time against me, but just like what they did to other leaders of progressive
groups, I will fail them again especially that their accusation is totally
malicious, baseless and unfounded. I have already met with some of the 28th
IB,PA elements face to face at the Compostela Gym before, that was during the
evacuation of the lumads just this month of May where they took photographs and
videos of me and I am willing to face them again to make them answer all these
ill intentions and political harassment against me.”

 

“We
are reporting this political repression deliberately done to harass, intimidate
and scare us to silence to the office of the CHR as we adhere to the legal
remedies and we hope CHR would act on this incident and ensure that our rights
will be protected,” Fanagel urge.

 

Human
rights groups and other progressive organizations also denounced this recent
accusations against Fanagel as a form of harassment and political
repression.  “He is being persecuted for having firm commitment to defend
the Indigenous peoples rights.” Said Prof. Myfel Paluga, chairperson of the
Solidarity Action Group for Indigenous People (SAGIP).

 

This
case is another reflection of the military’s strong effort to demonize
progressive organizations.  “This is another conscious effort by the
elements of the State to demonize legitimate organizations that criticize and
oppose the bankrupt policies of the Arroyo administration, particularly in the
context of the worsening human rights situation of the country specifically in
the province of Compostela Valley,” said Kelly Delgado, Secretary General of
Karapatan-Southern Mindanao.###

 

 

For
Reference:

 

Kerlan
“Lala” Fanagel

Secretary
General

PASAKA,
Confederation of Lumad Organizations in Southern Mindanao

 

Media
Desk: Ms. April Calam (0928.605.9209)

 

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