4 Army soldiers under ‘technical arrest’ for torture of Abu Sayyaf suspect

MANILA, Philippines — A junior officer and three senior enlisted personnel from the Army elite forces were placed under “technical arrest” during the weekend while under investigation for torturing an Abu Sayyaf suspect during interrogation about the infamous 2001 Lamitan siege.

The four implicated personnel of the Army Special Operations Task Force (SOTF) were relieved from their duties and restricted to their station in Basilan last July 30, pending the investigation, said Colonel Domingo Tutaan Jr.

Tutaan, head of the newly created Armed Forces of the Philippines Human Rights Office (HRO), said they wanted to show that the military leadership’s seriousness in enforcing “zero tolerance” for human rights abuses.

He, however, withheld the names of the four Army personnel until the issuance of a final report.

The Abu Sayyaf suspect identified as Abdul Khan Ajid Balanting was reportedly nabbed by soldiers in his house in Barangay (village) Libug in Sumisip, Basilan on July 23 for his involvement in the mass kidnapping during the 2001 Lamitan siege. A court had issued a warrant for his arrest on kidnapping charges.

When he was turned over to a hospital in Isabela City under the custody of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) on July 28, he reportedly had first and second degree burns in the head, face, stomach and private parts.

“We came to know of the incident last July 28 and immediately the (AFP) Chief of Staff (Gen. Eduardo Oban Jr.) issued a directive to the Army headquarters and Wesmincom (AFP Western Mindanao Command) to conduct an immediate investigation and inquiry on the incident,” Tutaan said in a news conference Monday.

He said Oban had instructed the Wesmincom and the Army’s 1st Infantry Division to cooperate with the Philippine National Police provincial office in Basilan and the Commission on Human Rights Region 9 office in the investigation.

He also said Oban also instructed the Wesmincom “to ensure the safety of the victim that no threat or harassment be made on them since the victim is confined to a local hospital in Basilan,”

“The effect of the investigation is to send the message that we will not tolerate human rights violation,” Tutaan said, adding there was no relation between the torture case and the July 28 clash in Sulu where seven Marines were killed and 26 others were wounded in a fire fight with Abu Sayyaf bandits.

“We want to make it clear to everybody that human rights violation will not be tolerated or condoned. This is not part of (the military’s new internal peace and security plan) Bayanihan and any violation will be dealt with accordingly by the law,” he continued.