By Jennifer P. Rendon
Allies and sympathizers of the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) are apparently on the move to spread lies and disinformation to taint the legitimate yet controversial Rizal Day raids in Central Panay.
This was the response of Brigadier General Rolando Miranda, Western Visayas Police Chief, to the pastoral letter signed by bishops of Western Visayas and Romblon condemning the police operations that led to the death of nine subjects and the arrest of 17 others.
“Misinformed lang sila. ‘Yung mga NPA na ‘yan, ‘yung mga galamay nila kung saan nakakarating… hanggang sa taong simbahan. Sana lang tingnan nila kung totoo ‘yung mga nakakarating sa kanila,” Miranda said.
On January 15, 2021, Catholic bishops in Western Visayas issued a pastoral letter that sought answers on why the supposed implementation of search warrants led to the death of nine members of Tumandok nga Mangunguma nga Nagapangapin sang Duta kag Kabuhi (TUMANDUK).
TUMANDUK is an alliance of 17 indigenous peoples’ (IP) communities in Tapaz and Jamindan towns in Capiz and Calinog in Iloilo.
The signatories in the pastoral letter were Jaro Archbishop Jose Romeo Lazo; Most Rev. Marvin Maceda, Bishop of San Jose de Antique; Most Rev. Patricio Buzon, Bishop of Bacolod; Most. Rev. Gerardo Alminaza, Bishop of San Carlos; and Most. Rev. Louie Patalinghug Galbines, Bishop of Kabankalan.
Also affixing their signatures were Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula from Capiz; Most Rev. Jose Corazon Tala, Bishop of Kalibo; and Most. Rev. Narciso Abellana, Bishop of Romblon.
But it looks like the head of the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) would not be cowered by the clergy’s call.
“‘Yung mga bishops na ‘yan, bakit ‘pag may namamatay ba na mga sundalo at pulis, pag pinapatay ng mga NPA, nag-i-issue din ba sila ng pastoral letter? ‘Di ba hindi!” Miranda said.
Instead of meddling in police operations, the region’s top cop told the bishops, “magdasal na lang sila ng magdasal sila sa simbahan.”
Miranda said he has no plans of reaching out or seeking an audience with the bishops to clarify the issues.
“I don’t have no time to talk to them. Bahala sila,” he said.
Will the police heed one of the bishops’ demands for a thorough investigation?
Again, Miranda said, “magdasal na lang sila. Huwag na silang makialam sa amin sa government. Kaya nga may separation ang church and the government. ‘Pag sila ang pinakialaman nagagalit sila. Ngayon nakikialam sila sa gobyerno. Hayaan mo ‘yang mga bishops na yan.”
DEMANDS
The bishops underscored five demands “amidst the plight, by our Tumandok brothers and sisters.”
First, they demanded for a thorough investigation by an independent body to ascertain what really happened last December 30, 2020.
They also asked “that once again we – government, the church, business community – listen to the legitimate cries of the Tumandoks against the construction of the Jalaur Mega Dam.”
The P11.2-billion Jalaur River Multipurpose Project (JRMP) II in Calinog, Iloilo is dubbed as an “important economic game-changer” for Iloilo province.
The project is the largest water reservoir to be constructed outside Luzon.
The third demand of the bishops is “that the militarization of the IP communities should stop immediately so that our brothers and sisters, the Tumandoks, can go home and live in peace again.”
It also noted that the “the PNP and the AFP follow conscientiously the ethical standards in the rules of engagement in their police or military operations.”
The religious leaders also wanted “that the police officers be required to wear body cameras in all police operations to protect the police against false accusations. This will also protect the civilians from the use of violence or abuse of power such as planting of evidence, illegal arrest, and even killing.”
Earlier, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) asserted that the implementation of the search warrants were done above board.
CIDG, the police unit that took the lead in serving the 28 search warrants, has stood by its earlier pronouncements that all slain victims put up a fight with the raiding teams.
‘NANLABAN’
In a press statement, the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) earlier said that “the service of the search warrants became a bloody encounter when the subjects put up a fight against the operatives.”
The encounter that happened on December 30 led to the deaths of Roy Giganto, Reynaldo Katipunan and Mario Aguirre of Barangay Lahug; Maurito Diaz, Sr. of Barangay Tacayan; Eliseo Gayas, Jr. of Barangay Aglinab; Artilito Katipunan of Barangay Acuña; Joemar Vidal of Barangay Daan Sur; and Garson Catamin and Rolando Diaz of Barangay Nayawan.
While simultaneous raids were also done in Calinog, no one was killed in the said town.
In the pastoral letter, the bishops pointed out that those killed and arrested – 17 from both Tapaz and Calinog – were former or current village officials and TUMANDUK leaders.
They noted that the group strongly opposed the construction of the Jalaur Mega Dam.
The letter noted that the police claimed the slain subjects were “nanlaban” or resisted.
But the bishops also noted the families’ counter-claim that “the victims did not resist arrest. The firearms and explosives were planted. The victims were murdered.”
It added, “the atrocities created a climate of fear and uncertainties among the residents of the Tumandok communities. Fear forces many to leave their communities and migrate to more secure places in the Poblacion or in the house of relatives. Fear also forces many to surrender to authorities to clear their names or admit that they were former members and supporters of the CPP-NPA.”
The letter is expected to be read in all masses in all of the Churches of Western Visayas on January 24, 2021.
