Army denies ‘hit list’ vs ‘lumad’ advocates

The Philippine Army on Saturday brushed off allegations that government security forces were targeting indigenous peoples advocates, as shown in a supposed “hit list.”

“The hit list allegation is a figment of the accusers’ imagination. There is no such thing as hit list in the [Armed Forces of the Philippines],” Army public affairs chief Col. Benjamin Hao said in a statement.

On Friday, incumbent and former members of civil society organizations and leftist party-list groups took to the Supreme Court to file petitions for writs of amparo and habeas data, decrying a supposed “hit list” of 70 activists in Mindanao and leaders of leftist organizations—which included deceased Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran.

READ: Lawmakers, rights advocates seek SC help vs AFP ‘hit list’

The list, accompanied by photos, was appended to kidnapping, serious illegal detention, and human trafficking complaints filed by the police and the Army in Mindanao. In July, the government security forces accused the activists of forcing “lumad” (indigenous) evacuees to stay at the Haran House of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) in Davao, a statement from human rights group Karapatan said.

But in the Supreme Court petition, the activists countered that the indigenous people were willing evacuees fleeing from their militarized, conflict-ridden villages. “The complaints for kidnapping and serious illegal detention and human trafficking are clearly manufactured and meant to distort the truth behind the Manobos’ terrible ordeal and disparage human rights and humanitarian workers who came to their aid,” the petition read.

“The civil society organizations to which the petitioners belong have been tagged as ‘communist front organizations’ while their leaders and members have been targets of attack under the government’s counterinsurgency programs,” the petition read.

The petitioners included Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate, Gabriela Rep. Emmi de Jesus, former Anakpawis Rep. Rafael Mariano, former Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño, Karapatan secretary general Cristina Palabay, Children’s Rehabilitation Center executive director Jacqueline Ruiz, Rural Missionaries coordinator Sr. Mary Francis Añover, Rev. Irma Balaba of the National Council of Churches in the Philippines, and Beltran’s daughter Ofelia Beltran-Balleta.

Hao, in denying the supposed “hit list,” turned the tables on communist-leaning groups. “Everybody knows that only the New People’s Army is making a hit list,” Hao said.

“The AFP is the protector of the Filipino people, whatever his or her social, political or economic leaning is,” Hao added.

Meanwhile, sought for comment on the Supreme Court petition, Philippine National Police spokesperson Senior Supt. Wilben Mayor simply said: “The PNP will let the law takes it course. It is part of the democratic system of our country.” Jaymee T. Gamil/RC