Rights group slams abuses in Davnor town

DAVAO CITYHuman rights group Karapatan lambasted a military general for sowing Palparan-style terror in Kapalong town.

Over the weekend, Karapatan Secretary General Cristina Palabay, in an emailed statement, said that human rights violations in Mindanao continue to rise even with the incarceration of what they call the Butcher, military retired general Jovito Palparan.

Gen. Palparan may be in jail, but his trained dogs, Brig. Gen. Ricardo Visaya and Gen. Eduardo Ao are sowing terror in Mindanao, Palabay said.

Karapatan blamed 10th IDs Maj. Gen. Eduardo Ao of hamletting a village in Kapalong town, Davao del Norte.

Ret. Gen. Palparan was linked to various abuses allegedly committed by the military in the course of its counter-insurgency operations in Luzon and Visayas.

According to Karapatan, hamletting is the practice of placing a community in direct and strict military control. This includes, among others, imposition of curfew hours, listing of names per household, controlling the mobility of people in and out of the hamlet.

Karapatan said government forces allegedly encamped a public school and a church in Sitio Kapatagan, Brgy. Gupitan, Kapalong, Davao del Norte last July 18.

Elements of the 60th IB ransacked the house of Purok leader Mario Liban and took his stock of rice. The incident came after the New Peoples Army released its prisoner of war Col. Rogelio Rosales in Kapalong, Davao del Norte, according to Karapatan.

The human rights group said that on July 20, additional 40 soldiers of the 60th IB arrived in Sitio Mangkay in Kapalong. Helicopters landing on the fields to deliver supplies for the soldiers ruined the crops of the farmers. The soldiers harassed the tribal chief Datu Herminio Suminggil by forcing him to tell where the NPA fighters are.

The 60th IB arrested the couple Jerry and Tata Antonio in Sitio Mangkay and forced them to admit that they were involved in the NPAs capture of Col. Rogelio Rosales, Palabay said.

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Rights group slams abuses in Davnor town