Ex-UP prof wounded in encounter

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – An environmentalist and former University of the Philippines professor was hurt and captured in an encounter between communist rebels and soldiers in Cateel, Davao Oriental, a military officer said on Thursday, October 3.

Lt Col Krishnamurti Mortela, commanding officer of the 67th infantry battalion, said Kim Gargar was found unconscious holding a rifle 200 meters away from the site of the October 1 encounter in Barangay Aliwagwag.

The military earlier reported that a certain Kumander Ryan of the New People’s Army (NPA) was killed in the gunfight. At least 5 soldiers were hurt in the encounter, it added.

But the NPA claimed that 6 soldiers were killed in the incident.

The military said Gargar was recovered hours after the firefight with the help of K9 dogs.

“An M16 rifle, landmines and subversive documents were recovered from him,” Mortela said. “First aid was given to him by the troops of 67th Infantry Battalion before he was brought to Davao Oriental provincial hospital,” he added.

The military said Gargar joined the NPA in Compostela Valley in 2012.

Just researching

But human rights group Karapatan-Southern Mindanao Region said Gargar was wrongly accused by the military.

Karapatan said Gargar was only conducting a research and land scoping in areas affected by Typhoon Pablo.

“He is presently at the hospital after he fell from a waterfall in Aliwagwag,” Karapatan said.

Karapatan said Gargar is presently working for Agham and his research is being done in cooperation with Balsa Southern Mindanao and the Rural Missionaries in the Philippines (RMP). “He is working on areas and communities of RMP,” Karapatan said.

The military said Gargar taught physics in UP Diliman from 2000 to 2003 and at the Don Mariano University in Cagayan de Oro City from 2003 to 2005.

Gargar also taught at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines-Sta. Mesa in 2006 to 2007 and at the Mapua University from 2007 to 2008, the military added.

The military said Gargar was a doctorate scholar in Chronological Biology at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. – Rappler.com