criminality | Northern Dispatch (nordis) Weekly

Wanted Bangued mayor still at large

May 12, 2013 in Cordillera, criminality

By KIMBERLIE NGABIT-QUITASOL
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — As of press time, Ryan Luna the mayor of Abra’s capital town remains at large despite earlier pronouncements of Cordillera’s top cop General Benjamin Magalong that Luna will turn himself in before the elections.

During the weekly Kapihan last May 8, Magalong reiterated that he is in constant communication with the Lunas. However, the police has yet to arrest him. Earlier, Magalong said Luna will surrender before the May 13 polls. Read the rest of this entry →

Bangued mayor to surrender before elections — Magalong

May 5, 2013 in Cordillera, criminality

By KIMBERLIE NGABIT-QUITASOL
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — The Bangued Regional Trial Court has issued a warrant of arrest for Bangued Mayor Ryan Luna, who as of press time is allegedly still in hiding, for the murder of then Tineg mayoralty bet Brenda Crisologo in 2007.

However, Police Regional Office Cordillera (PROCor) Regional Director General Benjamin Magalong disclosed in an interview at the 2nd Regional Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee (RLECC) meeting at the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) last May 2 that the young mayor is set to surrender before the May elections. Read the rest of this entry →

IPs urge probe of Apayao killing

March 31, 2013 in Cordillera, criminality, Featured

By ALMA SINUMLAG / CWEARC

BAGUIO CITY — Save the Apayao Peoples Organization (SAPO) and other prominent indigenous peoples organizations in the region strongly denounced the killing of a respected local leader in the defense of the environment and demanded for a speedy and thorough investigation of the murder of Kagawad Enrico “Ike” Cabasag.

Also, earlier at the wake condoling with the Cabasag family in Conner, Katribu national president and first nominee Beverly Longid urged the municipal government to conduct an investigation immediately. To which, Mayor Leo-nardo Dangoy convened the Municipal Peace and Order Council (MPOC) meeting on March 18, 2013. Read the rest of this entry →

Ilocos village leader ambushed

March 24, 2013 in criminality, Featured, Ilocos

By ACE ALEGRE

BAGUIO CITY — Another village leader in a town in Ilocos Norte is the latest victim of the still unchecked assassinations in the province.

Carlito Malaqui, barangay kagawad of Parang, Sarrat, Ilocos Norte, was killed instantly while his 9 year old daughter Irish was seriously wounded by a bullet that hit her knee when assassins waylaid them March 22 morning.

Police said the assassins opened fire at Malaqui who was then with his daughter and wife Josephine aboard a motorcycle along the highway.

The village leader’s wife was unhurt, the police said.

Probers found at least 13 empty shells of caliber 45 firearm where the family was ambushed.

In 2009, Malaqui survived an earlier slay try.

Earlier this week, authorities were deployed in at least three eastern towns of Ilocos Norte to dismantle any private armed groups (PAG) in preparation for the coming May elections. The attack on the Malaqui family is evident the killings have not stopped in the province even with the presence of the so-called Anti-PAG Task Force. # nordis.net

Breaking: Police say Panagbenga blast not terrorist plot but act of revenge

February 25, 2013 in Baguio City, criminality, Featured

By KIMBERLIE NGABIT-QUITASOL
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY—The Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) is looking at revenge as a possible motive for the grenade blasting that shook the City Volunteers Against Crime (CVAC) office at the Melvin Jones Grandstand before the Panagbenga float parade, 6:54AM, February 24.

In a press conference, in the afternoon of the same day, BCPO Chief of Police Jesus Cambay told the press that revenge is a possible angle given that CVAC is very active in helping the city police in curbing various criminal activities in the city. He added that personal grudges could also be considered.

Cambay, however, assured the public that the grenade explosion is an isolated case that has nothing to do with the Panagbenga feat. He added that the police is still conducting thorough investigation on the incident. He said there are already suspects but did not name any.

The police chief said the incident injured three people, two are members of CVAC and the other one is a security guard of Melvin Jones. He added that the office suffered minimal damage.

The victims, Gilbert Salvador, 29; Joseph Espada, 49; and Gerald Palomique, 33 sustained minor injuries and are now out of danger.

Police Regional Office Cordillera (PROCor) Regional Director Benjamin Magalong in the same press conference commended his police officers for managing the incident well. “The incident was well managed, considering the volume of people in the area when it happened, it could have turned into chaos if it was not handled properly,” he pointed out.

He agreed that it could be a form of reprisal against the said volunteer’s group.

Magalong further said, Camp Crame called him and he assured them that the incident was not a terrorist act intended to disrupt the Panagbenga parade. He explained that police intelligence conducts daily “intelligence” reporting to update the entire police force on the situation in the area and so far there has been no reported terrorist threats on Panagbenga. # nordis.net

Hacking victim’s mother seek reinvestigation

February 3, 2013 in Cordillera, criminality

By KIMBERLIE NGABIT-QUITASOL
www.nordis.net

LAGAWE, Ifugao — The mother of the late June G. Pagaddut, who was hacked to death sometime this January petitioned for the reinvestigation of her son’s case and seeking the courts to raise the offense of the accused to murder.

“Wherefore, it is respectfully prayed for the Honorable Court to issue an Order directing the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor to conduct a reinvestigation with regard the above entitled case,” Mary Pagaddut Duludul in her motion for reinvestigation dated January 28.

In her motion, Duludul said she believed that the case should be raised to murder instead of homicide. She said that the Inquest Resolution which was the basis of the filing of a homicide case “did not exhaustively discuss the allegations in the Affidavit Complaint and that of the witnesses.”

The complainant reiterated that the presence of qualifying circumstances of “treachery and taking advantage of superior strength” proves that there is probable cause to raise the case to murder. She explained in her complaint that the fact that the victim was unarmed when he was killed and that the killing happened at night proves the existence of treachery.

She further explained that the accused in his narration of what transpired in the fateful evening of January 15, admitted that the victim was unarmed and could not defend himself or escape the attack.

As of press time, the court is still waiting for the response of the prosecutor’s office.

Court records show that the accused Renato V. Managabat, Jr. alias “Along” was charged with homicide and is presently detained at the Ifugao district jail.

Earlier reports showed that Mangabat surrendered on January 16 and admitted that he killed the victim.

Police reports said the victim was found dead on January 16 at a boarding house in Poblacion, Kiangan, Ifugao bearing 34 hack wounds. # nordis.net

Abra mayor’s men first gun ban violators

January 27, 2013 in Cordillera, criminality

By ACE ALEGRE

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet — Two “men” working for an Abra town mayor are listed as the first gun ban violators in the Cordillera region.

Cordillera Police Director Chief Supt. Benjamin Magalong said Reynaldo Baruela, 49; and Jun Palecpec, 51; both of barangay Malapa-ao, Langiden are in hot waters after policemen led by Supt. Mario Mayam-es and Supt. Virgilio Pascua seized two caliber 45 pistols from the duo at a barangay fiesta in Langiden town on Sunday, January 20.

According to police reports the two are “men” of Langiden town, Abra Mayor Noel Castillo, formerly Abra province’s provincial jail warden.

Magalong said pre-positioned policemen who were earlier tipped of the duo, sealed all exits and succeeded in trapping both while they were about to elude arrest.

The duo were the first to fall in the gun ban operations in the province and all over the region ahead of the 2013 polls.

This as Cordillera policemen intensified their mobile checkpoints as early as the first week of December, said Magalong. “We have an average of 52 checkpoints a day,” the police official said.

The low number of apprehensions on gun ban violations, Magalong attributes to the people’s awareness.

Since January 13, these two were the only “violators” so far nabbed in the whole region. # nordis.net

Hacking incident shatters Ifugao town

January 20, 2013 in Cordillera, criminality, social concerns

By KIMBERLIE NGABIT-QUITASOL
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — A hacking incident that resulted to the death of June Pagaddut, 28, shattered the once quiet town of Kiangan, Ifugao.

Police reports showed that Pagaddut was found at the 1st Floor of Casilda Pahicnion’s residence in Poblacion, Kiangan at about 8:00 AM on January 15. The victim suffered from several hacking and stab wounds on his head, neck, body and hands.

Initial investigation disclosed that at 11:00 PM of January 14, the victim together with the suspect, Renato “Allong” Velasco Mangabat, 25, single, a farmer presently residing at Poblacion, Kiangan were seen having a drinking spree at a videoke bar owned by Jorabello Ayahao at Guinid’s junction, here and after which proceeded to Pahicnion’s place.

The victim was laid to rest on January 17 at the Kiangan cemetery.

“What happened to our son, brother and friend June Pagaddut was truly very shocking to all of us. As we were one of the first persons to be at the scene, how tragic the crime may be beyond our imagination if we have not seen the badly scarred cadaver personally,” Kiangan Mayor Jossel Guyguyon said.

The mayor said that the crime occurred at a private home of the Pahicnions in front of an elementary school, Kiangan Central School. He added that they are still waiting for the report of the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) for the other details of the incident.

“We all condemn the very unfortunate incident because no one liked it not unless you are not in your right mind. We are one of the many who pray that justice will be served the fastest way possible,” Guyguyon stressed.

Ifugao Congressman Teddy B. Baguilat Jr., who hails from Kiangan reiterated that the incident came as a shock adding that “It is unimaginable that this will happen in Kiangan where we always pride ourselves by saying one can sleep on the street with out being harmed or no need to lock the door with out fear of someone stealing something.”

“I hope it’s a freak accident-one of those that rarely happens in a lifetime of a quaint and peaceful small town like Kiangan,” Baguilat continued.

The congressman also urged the Philippine National Police (PNP) and local officials to ensure that justice will be achieved immediately.

He shared that Pagaddut was one of his scholars when he was still the governor of Ifugao. He added that the victim’s sister died in Qatar just last year.

The suspect, Mangabat surrendered in the evening of January 15 to Fiscal Ivan Buyucan. Buyucan turned over the suspect to the Kiangan police at around 11:00 PM on the same day.

According to Buyucan, the suspect was brought to Lagawe Regional Trial Court for inquest proceedings on January 16. He added that as of press time, the fiscal’s office is still consolidating documents before deciding on proper legal action.

Ifugao Governor Eugene Balitang reiterated that it is an isolated incident and that the province is still generally peaceful. He added that the suspect is currently detained at the district jail at Tiger’s Hill in Kiangan. # nordis.net

Benguet SP urges PNP to stregthen campaign vs illegal drugs

January 20, 2013 in Cordillera, criminality, social concerns

By DELIA BAGNI
www.nordis.net

LA TRINIDAD — Sanguniang Panlalawigan Board Members calls on the Philippine National Police to strengthen their campaign against illegal drug trade during the regular session at Benguet Capitol, session hall, January 14.

According to Boardmember Nelson Dangwa, the increasing number of youth engaging in marijuana trading in La Trinidad is alarming. He disclosed that a lot of buyers visit La Trinidad.

Dangwa said that there are information sent to him that sex trading is also happening in Abatan, Buguias and asked the police officers headed by the new Benguet Police Provincial Director Police Senior Superintendent Rodolfo Santos Azurin Jr. to validate the said information.

He added that he fears that women in the said area will be subjected to Sexually Transmitted Deseases(STD) and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS).

Azurin admitted that marijuana trading is high in La Trinidad. “Youth resort to trading illegal drugs for money because of lack of employment and there are lot of factors that affect the youth in engaging to these work,” he explained.

Azurin added that PNP is not the only one responsible in monitoring this cases as he urged barangay officials to be more active in monitoring and curbing illegal drug trade in their respective areas. He urged barangay officials to monitor all the new comers or residents in their barangays to avoid strangers who engage in illegal drugs to lure young people in trading illegal drugs.

Azurin promised to focus his programs to lessen cases involving illegal drugs, rape case and crimes in the province of Benguet. # nordis.net

Mankayan rape victim’s family urge PNoy to punish army officer

December 9, 2012 in Cordillera, criminality, human rights

By DELIA BAGNI
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — Family of the rape victim in Mankayan calls on President Benigno Aquino III (PNoy) to intervene in their search for justice and impose proper punishment to Captain Danilo Lalin of the 86th Infantry Division of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) during the press conference organized by Cordillera Human Rights Alliance (CHRA) last December 7.

Magdalena, the grandmother of Isabel (not her real name) asked PNoy to intervene and help them in their fight for justice. She reiterated that the perpetrator, Lalin should be punished for raping her granddaughter.

Isabel, 16 years old and a graduating high school student from Mankayan, Benguet, went missing last February 17 of this year and returned home four days after. On February 22, Isabel disclosed to her sister after continuous prodding that Lalin brought her to a military camp in Ifugao where he raped her. She was brought to the provincial hospital where the attending doctor pronounced her being severely depressed.

The initial counseling for her facilitated by the Department of Social Wefare and Development (DSWD) needs further follow-up as her case requires a more sustained and intensive counseling treatments.

The grandmother shared that Isabel cannot recognize her family members except her mother who always visit her in the rehabilitation center. She added that the victim cannot even remember her childhood. “She only remembers the day she was sent to the rehabilitation center up to present,” she said.

She added that in the rehabilitation center Isabel was taught to cook, wash and even clean herself because she cannot do it alone.

Magdalena added that the ordeal Isabel went through must have been unbearable for her to forget her childhood and even her native tongue, kankanaey. “No kasasao mi isuna ket haan nga sumungbat ti sao mi nu di ket tagalog nga sao ti ta isu ti pakikisasauan dagiti kadkadwa na idiay center,” (when we are talking to her, she does not answer in our own dialect but speaks the language her companion in the shelter is using) she said.

The medico legal certificate issued by the Benguet General Hospital showed evidence of sexual abuse and depression. The medical findings revealed that Isabel suffered from complete hymenal laceration, second degree perineal laceration with whitish discharge and positive fungal infection.

Magdalena shared that the medical examination was not enough evidence to charge the accused in court.

She also shared that Lalin tried to have an out of court settlement, offering the family of the victim two jeepneys but the family defiantly refused. She added that Lalin was never present during the negotiations, he sent his cousin from Abra to represent him.

The family is afraid to bring Isabel home because when they took her home, unidentified men in motorbikes were monitoring their house.

The family was forced to send Isabel back to the rehabilitation center.

CHRA Secretary General Jude Baggo reiterated that Lalin should be dismissed from service and be punished.

He shared that Lalin remains under the custody of the AFP and is still up for reinvestigation.

Baggo added that the 86th IB and the 5th infantry division should also be held responsible not just for the case of Lalin but for the various human rights violations it perpetrated against the people. # nordis.net

Lone assassin shoots Sagada driver

November 4, 2012 in Cordillera, criminality

By ARTHUR L. ALLAD-IW
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — Policemen are hunting a lone assassin who mercilessly shot dead a driver from Sagada on October 30.

On reports emailed to Nordis, the assassin allegedly hired the jeep of the victim to go to the nearby town of Besao, and in an isolated area along the road he shot the driver seven times, reports said.

Elmo Panoyo, the driver, around 40 years old, was shot in the presence of his10 year old son who accompanied him. Passengers of another jeepney bound for Agawa, Besao came by the scene of the crime and immediately brought the unconcious victim to the Besao District Hospital. Attending doctors were not able to revive the victim, sources said.

The child was not hurt and is now in safe hands, PNP Sagada said.

Sources from Sagada said that the reason for the shooting was not yet established and the investigation is under the jurisdiction and the charge of PNP of Besao.

In a phone interview, Sagada Sangguniang Bayan Joseph Aclopen said that the suspect approached Panoyo at his home in Bangaan, a northern village of Sagada to rent the jeep and even bought bread in the bakery of the victim’s wife.

While Panoyo was driving thru barangay Madongo towards Poblacion, the culprit asked that he be brought to the Besao District Hospital instead where his child is confined for fever, added Aclopen. It was from this trip to Besao that the culprit shot Panoyo. Empty shells were recovered from the crime scene.

Meanwhile residents of Bangaan, Sagada are urging the authorities to bring justice to Panoyo and his son who may be traumatized emotionally or psychologically by the horrible crime committed against his father. # nordis.net

Aussie yach designer murdered in Benguet

October 21, 2012 in Cordillera, criminality, social concerns

By ACE ALEGRE

Itogon, Benguet – A well-known Australian yacht designer was murdered here according to a belated Benguet police report.

Joseph Allan Adams, 81, reportedly one of Australia’s best known yacht designers, was found dead by his gardener in the morning of October 15, his throat slashed and already lifeless inside his home in Alpha Ville subdivision, Tuding, in this town.

Adams who designed the 1973 record-breaking Sydney-Hobart line honours winner Helsal, was a high-profile figure within the Australian yachting community, was found by his 55 year old gardener Jose Pallay at around 7:30 am dead from a hack wound on his left hand, right palm and a slit on his neck.

The designer’s garderner told police, he was fetching his salary for cleaning the vacant lot owned by the victim when he noticed that the main door was open and the lights were still on. Upon entering the house, he was startled to see blood splattered all over.

Policemen who were alerted by the gardener discovered the body of the Australian sitting on a sofa in the living room with his wounds and already dead.

Benguet police said the Australian was declared dead by Dr. Oliver P Guadana, the Itogon Municipal Health Officer and his cadaver was brought to the Funerarya La Paz in Baguio City.

The Regional Crime Laboratory Office of the PNP processed the crime scene to piece off evidences with hopes that justice will be served.

Adams reportedly lived in Sydney during his heyday as a designer but in later life moved to Port Macquarie, on New South Wales’ mid north coast. He then moved to the Philippines and continued designing yachts before selling his business and retiring. # nordis.net

Abra’s notorious assassin killed

August 26, 2012 in Cordillera, criminality

By ACE ALEGRE

La Trinidad, Benguet — A notorious gun-for-hire, wanted by authorities for at least 17 murder cases, was himself gunned down at close range while enroute to the arraignment of his case for illegal possession of firearms at around 9:30 AM August 23.

uspecting revenge as the most probable motive behind Jomar Bersalona’s assassination, Cordillera Police director Chief Supt. Benjamin Magalong described that a daring assassin closed in and shot him while aboard a police vehicle bringing him to the Justice Hall in Bangued, Abra’s capital town, for his arraignment on illegal possession of firearms charge.

Bersalona, 32, who is reportedly under the ward of an influential town official cum political warlord, with one were apprehended by policemen while in a bar on a drinking spree.

His daringness accounts for his boss’ deep connections that frees him everytime he is caught by the police, Magalong said lamenting. “But they will soon end,” he warns.

Earlier, Magalong declared he will run tooth-for-a-tooth against private armed groups in Abra in a no nonsense drive to finally end the culture of impunity and violence in the province.

Bersalona, a resident of Banacao, Bangued and his companion Jojo Delos Santos, 25 yrs old, single and a resident of Agtangao, also in Bangued were due for another “P30,000 contract to kill” on that day they were nabbed, said Magalong.

A villager tipped the duo off to police, hence their arrest. A Norinco caliber 45 pistol with PNP markings and bearing serial number BA03735 with 1 magazine loaded with 7 bullets was seized from Bersalona on August 17 while a COLT MK IV caliber 45 pistol bearing serial number 205828 with a magazine loaded with 5 ammunitions was seized from delos Santos.

Bersalona’s end came a week after and sustained a lone gunshot wound from a still unknown caliber, Magalong said.

Aside from a series of shooting incidents including the incident at Cebuana Lhuiller Taft St, Zone 5, Mega Centrum Zone, and another shooting incident on February 9, this year at Calaba Bridge, all in Bangued, Abra Bersalona is involved in a dozen more hired killings, Cordillera police claims. # nordis.net

Abra village leaders surrender firearms

August 26, 2012 in Cordillera, criminality

By ACE ALEGRE

BAGUIO CITY — Village leaders in at least two Abra towns, known as hotbeds of the so-called “gun culture” that has wrought endless violence in and out of the elections period, have began giving up their guns.

Village leaders of Maoay, in Bangued, Abra’s capital town, headed by barangay Chairman Honorato Balla voluntarily surrendered one homemade cal. 22 rifle to Bangued policemen on August 19.

Again two days later, Tineg poblacion and Agsimao barangay officials led by barangay Chairman Jayson Tingday turned over a Colt M16 Rifle (Baby Armalite) with serial number 655233.

Perhaps the start of “self-realization” to end the violence in the province and following the footsteps of provincial and town leaders earlier “depositing” their licensed firearms at the provincial police headquarters, village leaders are beginning to show examples also to their constituents, said Cordillera police director Chief Supt. Benjamin Magalong.

At least three dozens of high-powered rifles licensed to political leaders in Abra was earlier received by the Abra police for momentary “disarmament” until the 2013 polls, in a bid to curb or at least lessen gun-related violence in the province during the elections. # nordis.net

Rape, incest, sex abuse rampant in Benguet

August 19, 2012 in Cordillera, criminality, social concerns

By ACE ALEGRE

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet — An alarming number of cases of rape, especially among children, here in the province was revealed.

Reports of incest, rape, theft and robbery committed by children, said Provincial Social Welfare and Development Officer Juana Bannawe “is a hidden epidemic needing urgent action.”

Findings of a research here indicated that child abuse cases in Benguet have reached 117 cases from January 2011 to June 2012 alone. Only two towns, Bokod and Bakun, have no reported cases of abuse.

The capital town, La Trinidad logged the highest number of cases accounting for 62% while its neighbor town Tublay reported the least at 2%. Bannawe said majority of the victims are female children.

In a provincial summit on child welfare at the Benguet provincial capitol where Bannawe unveiled the harrowing scenario, participants could hear a pin drop if only to demonstrate how officials took the grim revelation.

Rape cases logged the highest overall with 45 incidents followed by incest with 26 cases, acts of lasciviousness with 11, seduction in twin incidents and physical abuse with 33 cases.

Still, La Trinidad logged the highest number of reported rape incidents with 18 cases while incest at 8, acts of lasciviousness with 9, seduction at 2 and physical abuse with 25 reported incidents.

The mining district of Tuba came second with 9 cases of rape, a lone case of incest and twin cases of physical abuse while in Kibungan town there are 3 cases of rape, 6 cases of incest and a lone case of physical abuse.

“Child abuse occurs at different age groups, the youngest is a 2 year 8 month old female child raped by a 5 year old male neighbor, followed by a 3 year old suffering from physical injury and a 4 year old child who underwent the ordeal of incest rape by the father.”

“Most of the rape cases happened at the perpetrator’s or neighbor’s house while most of the incest cases were consummated at the victims own home.”

Most of the perpetrators were neighbors (42%); followed by parents at 20%, relatives at 16%, other abusers logged were teachers, playmates, boyfriends and employers. “Alarming in the report is a serial rapist of 5 different children and a father who raped all his three children,” Bannawe said.

Only at least three town mayors – came to the provincial summit on children last Tuesday — Kabayan mayor Faustino Aquisan, Buguias Mayor Melchor Diclas and Mayor Benito Siadto of Kibungan, while most sent a small delegation of representatives.

Disgusted, Governor Nestor Fongwan minced no words in expressing dismay over the apparent lack of interest on the issue, while if the meeting was for allocation of farm to market roads, the hall would have been full. “We invited (them) to come because we wanted to sit down with (them) and talk about these problems.”

Gov. Fongwan was alarmed months ago himself when police reported a surge in rape cases in Benguet during the regional peace and order council meeting and has since ordered a research on child abuse cases here. # nordis.net

Vigan massacre at the height of Typhoon Gener

August 5, 2012 in criminality, Ilocos

By ACE ALEGRE

BAGUIO CITY — As storm Gener lashed through the eastern coasts, a bussiness man shot and killed members of his family before killing himself inside his in-law’s family house in barangay 2, Vigan City, Ilocos Sur.

Baguio-born businessman Edwin Espinueva shot himself after he finished off his wife Frances Ruela Mendoza, his daughter Carla, brother in law Jeffrey Mendoza and mother-in-law Estrelita Mendoza with either of two firearms — a caliber 45 pistol and caliber 38 revolver found with him, said Ilocos Sur police director Sr. Supt. Noel Amoyen. A second daughter, Samantha was found alive and rushed to the hospital also for a gunshot wound.

Police surmised that eaarlier the suspect and his wife had a quarrel and his mother-in-law and brother-in-law intervened, further irking the suspect.

Hours before the shooting, the suspect, his wife and two brother-in-laws even had dinner then retired to their respective rooms.

But at around 1:30 at dawn, policemen were brought the the scence by a startled resident’s report of the shooting.

Police found the lifeless body of the suspect’s mother-in-law in the living of the house’s second floor and the other victims in their respective rooms, also at the second floor.

“They were shot while sleeping,” Sr. Supt. Amoyen said.

Although initially suspecting deep domestic problems as a motive, said Amoyen, “we are conducting a deeper investigation to find anything more in the grizzly crime.”

Vigan City mayor Eva Medina who condemned the massacre, a first and most harrowing crime of that magnitude to happen in the town, said she hopes that justice will be served. # nordis.net

Rape case vs Capt. Lalin not a smear campaign — Gabriela

May 13, 2012 in Cordillera, criminality, social concerns

By KIMBERLIE NGABIT-QUITASOL
www.nordis.net

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet—Innabuyog-Gabriela condemns the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for dismissing the rape case filed against Captain Danilo Lalin of the 86th Infantry Batallion of the Philippine Army as a mere smear campaign against the AFP as they continue to call for the perpetrator to come out and seek justice for the victim.

Earlier reports showed that Lalin was accused of raping two Mankayan minors after courting them and bringing them to the 86th IB detatchment in Tinoc, Ifugao.

“No one wants to make up this kind of a serious accusation. No one wants to use an innocent young lady who has suffered such heinous crime just to speak ill of the AFP. This is a real case. If only we could see the current state of this young girl…,” Innabuyog-Gabriela Secretary General Mila Singson reiterated.

She pointed out that Isabel’s case is a strong evidence of how militarization threatens the women and children in the Cordillera communities.

At the moment, Innabuyog-Gabriela together with the family and friends of Isabel and some Local Government Unit of the municipality of Mankayan and the whole barangay council of Colalo are continuously campaigning for the immediate arrest of Lalin while the case is still in progress and the victim is under recovery.

Dr. Jovy Ann Tangalin of the Baguio General Hospital, Isabel’s attending psychiatrist testified that Isabel is suffering from acute severe depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. She added that aside from the sudden changes in her mood swings and hyper arousal nightmares, the biggest manifestation of PTSD in Isabel is her selective amnesia.

According to Tangalin, Isabel’s defense mechanism against the terrible incident that had happened to her is forcing herself not to recall the particular events that lead to her rape.

She said the victim’s recovery will depend on how the victim copes with the tragedy. Moreover, the doctor said she is doing her best to help Isabel recover fast.

Singson challenged Lalin to be man enough and face the rape charges filed against him squarely. She added that it is not enough that Lalin be demoted and be restrained in the military barracks.

“This is not justice. Demoting Lalin is not justice for Isabel. Lalin has to come out, and also, stop sending his family to try to make amends with Isabel’s family. He needs to undergo the due process,” she stressed.

Isabel’s mother admitted that Lalin’s family is trying to settle the case with them amicably. She said the perpetrator’s family is suggesting that Lalin marry the young girl. Lalin’s family also gave P2,000 to her .

“Money is just money. No (amount of) money can ever undo the damage that Lalin has done to my granddaughter. Money cannot replace my granddaughter’s future,” Isabel’s grandmother declared.

Furthermore, Innabuyog Gabriela is calling for the AFP in Mankayan to stop harassing the community folk particularly in Barangay Cabiten. The group said government troopers are going around telling the residents that the case is just a smear campaign of progressive organizations against the AFP. They added that Lalin is continuously meeting and using “Katrina” the other victim deceiving her to disregard the case.

Isabel’s case is pending in court while she undergoes medication and gains enough strength to be able to stand in court and win her justice.

The people of Mankayan together with several of their officials and Innabuyog-Gabriela continuous to call for the demilitarization of Mankayan. The Colalo Barangay Council and the Save Mankayan Movement is currently conducting a signature campaign to surface Lalin and answer to his case. The petition also calls to pull out military troops in Mankayan. # nordis.net

Women’s Front: Grandma picks up the fight

May 6, 2012 in columns, Cordillera, criminality, Featured, opinion, social concerns

By INNABUYOG-GABRIELA
www.nordis.net

When we think of grandmothers, we usually think of them as the generous old folks spoiling their grand children. They become the second mothers to our children. Here in Cordillera, our elderly become our source of wisdom. They are also our lead in our life struggles. We are blessed to have grandmothers like Mother Petra, Mother Endena, Mother Felizco and other strong women who committed their lives to the defense of the Cordillera land and its people.

Today we are introduced to another fighter. Another grandmother offers her courage for the recognition and respect for human rights. Nanay Magdalena, first came out in public on April 27 when she dared the military troops in Mankayan to step out and leave their community. Nanay Magdalena is the grandmother of the rape victim Isabel, a sixteen-year old Mankayan resident who pointed out then Commanding Officer of the 51st Infantry Battalion Captain Danilo Lalin as the culprit. Isabel is now suffering from what the doctors diagnosed as “acute severe depression”, “post traumatic stress disorders”, and temporary loss of memory from the violence she was put through. According to psychologists, this was a way victims take to cope.

For now, it was said that Lalin was demoted as an officer in rank but remains free. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) claims that they cannot sanction Lalin because he did his crime outside the boundaries of his duty. Meanwhile, Lalin has not surfaced to answer the allegations against him. Worse, he sent his family to the victim’s family to negotiate an amicable settlement for “eloping” with the victim. Lalin is a married man.

It is this kind of injustice that forced an old woman like Nanay Magdalena to gather up courage and stand up for justice in behalf of her violated and traumatized grandchild. During the people’s protest in Mankayan against mining and militarization on April 27, Nanay Magdalena vented out her disdain against militarization in Mankayan.

The people around her were shaken by the brazenness of the crime, the anger in her voice and the urgency to dare the military troops in the name of justice to take the initiative to bring their comrade Lalin, before the public to stand up for his crimes.

Nanay Magdalene continued her outrage over the inhumanity of militarization in Mankayan. How it destroyed their peace and brought violence against women and children to the community.

“How many more of my grand children will Lalin rape? How many more of my grand children will be victims of the violent nature of the military men?”, she cried.

Nanay Magdalena is the first in her family to speak up publicly about their granddaughter’s case. Her distress over what was inflicted on her grand daughter and the stigma faced by her family fired up her courage to brave the fight for justice.

Facing the prying eyes, ignorance and narrow mindedness of society belittling them for being victims, she called on her family, the clan and community to rally around this fight for justice. Justice for her grand daughter, for all grand children until the community is safe from this misdirected militarization of their hometown. # nordis.net

Community demands military pull out of Mankayan

April 29, 2012 in Cordillera, criminality, Featured, social concerns

By ALDWIN QUITASOL
www.nordis.net

MANKAYAN, Benguet — More than a thousand residents of this mining municipality, together with other indigenous peoples from nearby provinces and rights advocates stormed a military detachment of the 50th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army shouting for its pull out.

JUSTICE. The grandmother of a rape victim calls for the military to leave their municipality of Mankayan, Benguet and the perpetrator be brought to the court. Photo by Aldwin Quitasol

Barely a month after an army captain Danilo Lalin of the 86th Infantry Division of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) was accused of raping two 16 year old girls of a barangay of the municipality, Mankayan residents call for the soldiers to remove their detachment and Lalin be brought to justice for what he did. They demand that justice for “Isabel” and “Katrina” (not their real names) and their families be served.

High School students Isabel and Katrina were both courted by Lalin. In the last part of February this year, Isabel was missing for three days. After returning home, Isabel’s sister noticed Isabel did not look well. After a series of questionings, Isabel told what really happened to her. In a medico-legal report, Isabel was believed to be raped by more than one man.

According to the grandmother of “Isabel”, the girls are in a state of depression. “Kaman maga’y serserbi na et nan apok gapu isnan inyat Lalin ken siya,” (it seems that my granddaughter is now useless because of what Lalin did to her.

She said that they thought the military was there to protect the civilians but they have inflicted fear and troubled the community.

She added that the soldiers did nothing but to break their unity in opposing destructive operations like he expansion project of the Lepanto Consolidated Mining Company (LCMC).

Colalo Barangay Captain Ambino Padawi said that the soldiers did not respect the people of places wherever they go. He said that they were the ones who destroy family relations in their barangay and elsewhere.

“Agarem da kadagiti babbai iti komunidad mi uray dagiti naasawan ken dagiti ubbing, ken idi lang napalabas ket nirames da pay ti dua nga annak mi,” (They court the women in our community even those who are already married and the children, and recently, they raped two of our children) said Padawi.

Veron Malecdan of the Innabuyog Gabriela said that the case of Isabel and Katrina is not an isolated to the provinces of Cordillera.

She said that soldiers encamped in the communities especially where there are mining applications victimized innocent young girls.

She added that these soldiers are always on the alert hunting for prey. And when the soldiers commit crimes in one community, they were simply transferred given another assignment or place. She said there should be a pull out of all military detachments in the communities.

Isabel’s grandmother said that the case of her granddaughter and of “Katrina” is enough. She added that they do not want that another girl or women be raped again by the soldiers.

Aside from the removal of the detachment, the companions of Lalin believed to be among the military personel who gang raped Isabel, should all be charged and jailed. # nordis.net

HR groups reveal military rape of minors

April 1, 2012 in Cordillera, criminality, Featured, social concerns

By ALDWIN QUITASOL
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — Innabuyog-Gabriela and Cordillera Human Rights Alliance (CHRA) challenged an army captain belonging to the 50th infantry battalion of the Philippine Army stationed in Cabiten, Mankayan, Benguet to come out and answer accusations against him for raping a graduating high school student.

According to the accounts of Innabuyog, “Isabel” a 16 year old graduating high school student went missing on February 17, 2012. After three days, she went home looking dazed, exhausted and terribly limping. Her sister sensing that something was wrong with her investigated through her things in her bag and found a box of donuts, a kilo of pork, a brand new cellphone, a P1,000.00 bill and a military raincoat.

On February 22, Isabel went back to school to attend graduation practice. Her teachers noticed that she can hardly participate in the practice and she looked dazed.

Meanwhile at home on the same date, Isabel’s sister went to her room to look further into Isabel’s stuff and there she found two contraceptive pills, two entrance tickets for domestic tourists addressed at the Military Shrines Service, Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

Isabel’s sister confronted her when she got home about the pills and sone other things. Isabel then confessed her ordeal. According to her accounts, a certain Captain Danilo Lalin a.k.a. Vince Valdez brought her to a military camp in Ifugao on February 17 and allegedly raped her there. She was later brought by Lalin to Taguig Hospital for a medical check-up.

Isabel’s sister asked her who Lalin was and she answered he was the boyfriend of her high school friend here under the name of ‘Katrina’, also a 16 year old.

“Katrina” was also courted by Lalin in the last quarter of 2011 through text introducing himself as “Vince Valdez”. When they met in November of the same year, “Vince” revealed his real name and said he was a member of the Highlander 86 of the 50th IB. According to the accounts, Katrina was promised marriage by Lalin. But on February this year, the army captain instead courted Isabel.

Further in the accounts, “Isabel” was brought by her family to the Mankayan Police Office Station for appropriate filing of blotter reports and the Mankayan Rural Health Unit to collect specimen from Isabel’s discharge. She was then referred to the Lepanto Hospital but the attending physician did not examine Isabel instead her case was passed to the Benguet General Hospital (BeGH) in La Trinidad.

According to a Medico-Legal Certificate issued by Dr. Joyce Bastian Laforga of BeGH, Isabel suffered from complete hymenal laceration, second degree perineal laceration with whitish discharge and positive fungal infection. Basing it on these results, Laforga suspects she was gang-raped.

She was also diagnosed as suffering from metal depression as a result of her experience. She was then brought to the Department of Social Welfare and Development-BeGH.

Innabuyog Secretary-General Mila Singson said that the deployment of military units in the communities brought fear to the people. She added that militarization, in many guises, always unfolds its real skin. According to the statement of Innabuyog, many violations against individual as well as collective rights of the people had been committed by government troops.

Singson also said that militarization is a dangerous form of violence against women and children. According to her, single or married women especially the young ones are being courted by the military to gain acceptance in the community.

She said that the government soldiers have also used the women in the communities as objects of pleasure.

Singson said that it is alarming that these uniformed men prey on young women especially those who come from poor families and lure them with money and other things.

CHRA Secretary-General Jude Baggo said that Isabel and her family should be given justice. He said, “this outrageously act cannot be justified in anyway”. “There is no word to describe what happened to Isabel”, Baggo said.

He stressed that civilized society strongly condemns what Lalin and his cohorts did.

He added that the perpetrators should be arrested and thrown in jail.

According to Baggo, in the history of militarization in the communities especially where there are mining operations or applications and where there are noted community opposition, there are cases of rape and so many acts of violence against the people involving the military. He said that there is also a conscious effort by the military to weaken the relationship among the families and the community as a whole by wreaking disturbances.

Isabel is now undergoing a stress debriefing therapy and counseling. # nordis.net