Farmers in a southern Cebu town filed complaints against soldiers from the 47th Infantry Battalion (IB) of the Philippine Army over alleged harassment and red-tagging.

On April 15, members of the United Farmers of Lamac, an organization of farmers in Barangay Lamac, Pinamungajan in Cebu, filed a complaint against Second Lieutenant Bryan Panis, First Lieutenant James Valdes, and Captain John Rey Ocampo before the Office of the Ombudsman.

The 3 officers of the 47th IB were accused of violating the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act, as well as the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.

In an interview with Rappler on Sunday, April 25, Nick Abasolo, chairman of the United Farmers of Lamac, said soldiers from the 47th IB have been knocking on the doors of members of the organization, encouraging them to quit, and red-tagging the organization.

“So mao ni kanunay, ‘Ayaw na mo ana na mga organisasyona. Kanang KMP (Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas) kay mangingilad mga NPA (New People’s Army) na, mga terrorista na,'” Abasolo said in Cebuano.

(They would always say, “Evade those organizations. KMP deceives its members, they’re members of the NPA, they’re terrorists.”)

“Ngano ba nga nag house-to-house sila sa mga miyembro sa amoang organisasyon diin kanunay awhagon nga ayaw na mo aning pamiyembro aning organisasyona – gidaot ang among organisasyon,” he added.

(Why do they conduct house-to-house operations against our members, encouraging us to quit – slandering our organization?)

Abasolo, also the chairman of KMP-Cebu, an alliance of farmers and peasant workers, said that since the battalion’s arrival in October 2020, they have been asked to attend multiple symposiums where organizations under the Makabayan bloc were tagged as communist fronts.

He also recounted personally experiencing surveillance.

He traced the first incident back to June 6, 2020, when his wife was confronted by two unidentified men who asked for his whereabouts. This incident happened at their house in Barangay Punod.

A week later, on June 13, Elena Tijamo, a program coordinator for the Farmers Development Center, was abducted from her own home in Bantayan Island, north of mainland Cebu.

“Nakulbaan na ko. Nabalaka na ko kay makadungog man gud ko sa mga balita nga duna’y mga mga lider-mag-uuma, nga duna’y mag-uuma nga nakita patay, gipang-file-an og kaso,” Abasolo recalled.

(I was anxious. I was worried because I often hear news of peasant leaders, of farmers found dead, or have had cases filed against them.)

Months later, on September 24, 2020, Abasolo was tending to his field when 6 unidentified men approached him. He said he was able to avoid a confrontation by making a run for it. On the same day, soldiers once again went to his home to look for him.

Rappler tried to get a statement from the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Central Command. We were redirected multiple times to local officers but have yet to receive a response as of posting.

Slow investigation

Before filing a complaint at the Ombudsman, the United Farmers of Lamac had also filed a complaint before the Commission on Human Rights (CHR).

But Abasolo said the CHR investigation has been moving at a slow pace.

He added that they were made to attend a human rights seminar organized by the CHR and also attended by the Department of Agriculture and army officers.

In the seminar, Abasolo said, they were made to sit through red-tagging of progressive organizations.

“Tungod ana nga lahi ang iyang gipaabot sa CHR sa akoa…mao na nga balik mi og meeting sa among mga kaubanang miyembro para mo-file mi og laing reklamo pero dili na sa CHR. Diha na sa Ombudsman,” he said.

(Because the CHR conveyed a different message to me…we decided to meet again with our fellow members to file another complaint but not at the CHR. This time, at the Ombudsman.)

In a text message to Rappler on Sunday, CHR Central Visayas Regional Director Arvin Ordon clarified that what took place was a dialogue between the farmers and the soldiers.

“The dialogue facilitated by [the CHR regional office] between the farmers’ groups and the elements from 47th IB was intended to thresh out and simplify the issues in aid of investigation. Such is sanctioned by the CHR rules. It was not intended to favor a party or for some other purpose as the CHR maintains its independence. In fact, we encourage our clients to make use of the other available remedies and availing of the CHR services is only an option we offer to them,” he said.

Ordon added that the CHR probe will continue “conditioned on the cooperation of the complainants.”

“Should there be findings of human rights violations resulting in a crime or administrative accountability against the respondent military officers, such will be forwarded to the Office of the Ombudsman for consolidation and for the purpose of determining whether a probable cause exists to charge them,” he said. – Rappler.com