19th (MASSACRE) Infantry Battalion strikes again!

A Press Statement by KATUNGOD-Sinirangan Bisayas-KARAPATAN
November 18, 2010

November 15, 2010 at around 12:00 noon when a team from the 19th IB peppered with bullets a team of researchers from the PNOC-EDC Environmental Management Department (EMD) killing three persons on the spot: botanist Leonardo Co, forester Sofronio Cortez, and local guide and member of Tongonan Farmers Association Julio Borromeo and wounding another one (name is withheld for security reasons). The dead bodies were hit by bullets from M16 armalite rifle and M203 rifle grenades.  The team of researchers was strafed for the sole reason that they were mistaken to be members of the New People’s Army (NPA) at first, then the military changed their storyline by saying they were caught in the crossfire.

Worth noting is the fact that the incident happened within the vicinity of the PNOC-EDC, Pad 403 of the Mahi-aw Plant to be specific and that in this area there is a camp of the SCAA – special CAFGU unit and a camp of a team of the 19th Infantry Battalion. Given the position of military installation in the area, the allegation of the presence of New People’s Army (NPA) is very remote and at the same time, a shame for the military to admit under normal circumstances: enemy right under their noses (?).

Worth condemning is the fact that despite the shout of pleas of the team pleading for the military not to shot still the military continued to shot for straight 15 minutes at their direction and the military even used explosives from M203 rifle grenade launchers.

It is worth condemning the fact that despite this glaring murder, the military is without shame and without respect to the dead and to the families of those they murdered, libelously branded them as members of the New People’s Army and then suddenly changes their allegation that they were just caught in the crossfire!

It is worth condemning the fact that the 19th IB is without shame when it visited the wake of Julio Borromeo and offered flower for the dead. It is a great insult to the family of the dead when the ones responsible for the murder of their loved one offers flowers and condolences while their whole propaganda machinery is blackening the memory and the name of those whom they murdered by dragging it as members of the NPA or just plain collateral damage in their make-up “legitimate encounter” scenario.

We in KATUNGOD-SB-KARAPATAN strongly condemn this barbaric act committed by the 19th Infantry Battalion.  Indeed they are living up to their name as the MASSACRE Battalion! This is again a glaring fact that state agents are the ones responsible for the series of extra-judicial killings happening not only in Eastern Visayas but in other parts of the archipelago and, as expected, the military is concocting all sort of web-like lies, alibis, and escape-goats to evade culpability and responsibility and arrogate in them the culture of impunity.

How many massacres did the 19th IB have on their belt? In 2003 nine (9) farmers (including minors) were massacred also in Kananga, Leyte and in 2005 who can forget the Palo Massacre wherein seven (7) farmers died on the spot, one died on the hospital and one died while incarcerated in jail. All these cases of massacre were all made and perpetrated by the 19th Infantry Battalion.

We call on all peace loving people of Eastern Visayas to make a stand to condemn this barbaric murder committed by the 19th (MASSACRE) Infantry Battalion and to prosecute the 19th Infantry Battalion who killed the nine farmers in 2003, nine farmers in 2005, and three researchers in 2010. We have in our hands the power to give justice to those whom they have murdered and blacken the names and memories. We can prevent other cases of human rights violation if we take a stand, join hands in seeking justice, and collectively assert our human rights.