Residents caught in tug-of-war between AFP, leftist group

DAVAO CITY – On one hand, human rights groups here are accusing the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) of "forcing to surrender" participants of an anti-drug awareness campaign in a public school in Montevista town, Compostela Valley province last Saturday.

And on the other is the military, saying that they were merely rescuing the participants allegedly being recruited to join the New People's Army (NPA).

In an interview with Manila Bulletin, Karapatan Southern Mindanao spokesperson Jay Apiag said they received a report from the Pederasyon sa mga Asosasyong Mag-uuma ug Lumad sa Agusan ug Davao (Pamulad) late afternoon Sunday that the military allegedly interrogated and detained participants, including a volunteer teacher and a minor, in a seminar dubbed "Youth Anti-Drugs Workshop" in New Dalaguit Elementary School in New Dalaguit, Montevista.

"According to Pamula, it was around 2 p.m. of Feb. 17 when several soldiers from the 25th IB (Infantry Battalion) arrived at the school, where a cultural workshop was being held, and interrogated the participants," Apiag said Tuesday, adding there were 25 persons who attended the workshop.

He said four persons were taken by the military, including a minor and the workshop instructor Eugene Laurente, who is a volunteer teacher of the Assumption College of Davao Community Extension Program. Two other participants Darlene Dasig and Gredelix Ornopia were also taken.

Apiag said the four were taken to a hospital in Montevista for medical checkup and to the police station, where they were asked to sign release papers.

But Apiag said that after signing the release papers "they were taken back to the army headquarter's in Montevista for questioning."

The four were released around 9 p.m. Monday night, Apiag added.

"Our priority now is to provide them with psycho-social intervention because they are really traumatized, they are being forced to surrender," he said.

However, the 10th Infantry Division denied that the people in their custody were innocent.

Capt. Jerry Lamosao, 10th ID spokesperson, said that the military was conducting “rescue operations” of residents from Barangay Dalaguit. He said that the event was not really an anti-drug workshop, but a "recruitment program" of the NPA.