Army officer and 12 others to face court martial over death of mother, sons in Kiblawan, Davao del Sur

MAWAB, Compostela Valley Province – An army officer and 12 others will face general court martial as probe revealed that there was indeed ‘tactical’ lapse into the killing of the wife and two sons of armed bandit leader Daguil Capeon in Kimlawis, Davao del Sur on October 18. 

 

In a six-page report of the Philippine Army’s Board of Inquiry, headed by its Division Inspector General Col. Fidel Francis Pumihic, 1Lt. Dante Jimenez admitted he failed to assess if it was the criminal group New People’s Army or the group of Capeon sheltering inside the house. 

 

In his statement, Jimenez said he, along with Cpl. Godio, Cpl. Namla, and Pfc. Gamayot, were 200 meters away from the house. He dispatched Sgt. Murillo, along with Pfc. Lopez, Cpl. Majid, Cpl. Sahali, Cpl. Jadjuli and Cpl. Said, to close in but was fired upon by shooters from the direction of the house prompting them to also return fire. While Sgt. Ballenas, Pfc. Tayamora and Pfc. Julian claimed that they did not fire. Accordingly, there were 43 bullet entry holes on the hut alone but, based on the spot report, only 19 bullets were expended by the troops. However, the result of the investigation did not determine as to whose bullets killed the victims. 

 

After the incident, one Rifle Grenade, two combat packs with personal belongings, 5.56mm empty shells and two m16 rifle magazines long with 20 rounds of 5.56mm live ammo were recovered in the area believed to be belonging to the group of Capeon. 

 

“There was a lapse of judgment on the company commander for he failed to direct his men in accordance to the Rules of engagement”, 10^th Infantry Division Spokesperson Lt. Col. Lyndon Paniza said affirming the violation committed. However, he robs off massacre allegations and claimed that it was a legitimate encounter. 

 

In part six, the report stated that it was a legitimate encounter contrary to claims of groups that there was none. To recall, in his previous interviews, bandit leader Capeon said he was alone several meters away from the house and has denied having fired at pursuing troops which was supported by Marisa Capeon Piang during interviews. However, it was not clarified how and when the latter saw the bandit leader in the area.          

          

According to Paniza, based on the recommendation of the BOI, Jimenez and 12 others will face a general court martial to be convened by Philippine Army to hear and decide cases for violations of the Article of War 76 (Misbehaviour before the Enemy) of the ROE – particularly rules 4 and 5; the Article of War 96 (Conduct Unbecoming an Officer and Gentleman) and the Article of War 97 (Conduct Prejudicial to Good Order and Military Discipline).

 

 “Since the operation was quad-size and was initiated within the company commander’s level, it was the responsibility of 1Lt. Jimenez to assess the situation and properly brief his troops about the confronted circumstances”, Paniza said. He also added that the other 12 enlisted personnel are also facing raps in violating the 76th Article of War and the 97th Article of War.

 

“Though we have yet to wait for the result of the ballistics’ test to know from whose shot really killed Jovy, and the two children, still, we have to promulgate necessary measures to our men who made violations (to ROE)”, Paniza said. 

 

He also added that an order has been issued for the full internalization of every member of the Armed Forces of the rules of engagement, especially to battalions and units under 10^th ID, through series of simulated activities in every trainings to avoid the same incident.

Magpakatotoo kayo!

Coming out with surprises is the renewed word war between the Maoist communist sectoral front  organization – ANAKBAYAN, and AKBAYAN, a self-claimed socialist organization that the Maoist claims are allies of President Aquino III.

Truly, the latter has entrenched some of their key leaders in President Aquino’s cabinet. Their influence could either be productive or cataclysmic with Akbayan steadfast in their commitment to institute change and reforms in government through the peaceful political process.

Their approach has endeared many, especially those whose mindset are easily described as ‘White Paper’ for not  knowing anything about communism and the evils it brings. This too might have caught the interest of our country’s sitting leadership as most of them are unaware of the real character that marks our country’s veiled enemy.

Surprised though is what I feel when Vencer Crisostomo, like many of his peers in the Maoist sectoral front and pseudo partylist organization, described as ‘Red Baiting’ Rep. Walden Bello’s statement alluding Anakbayan and KMU as front organizations of the Maoist communist insurgency, here.

True enough, Rep. Bello is the n^th person who truthfully said and bared the facts that Anakbayan, Kilusan Mayo Uno (KMU), Bagong Alyansya Makabayan, Gabriela, and many others under the CPP-NPA-NDF’s National United Front Commission (NUFC) have tried vainly to evade. No one else but their leader and revered founder Jose Ma. Sison’s admission, in his speech in Brussels, Belgium in March 4, 1987, that indeed Bayan, LFS, Gabriela, and others, “. . . . . are the legal (read: aboveground) democratic forces in the Philippines” cleared whatever cloud of pretension these Maoist communist organizations have been mouthing ever since.

Bakit sa kabila ng mga pahayag ni Joma Sison, nagtatago pa rin itong  Vencer Crisostomo sa butas-butas na palda ng kasinungalingan?

For the sake of argument pwede nating pagbigyan itong mga argumento ng Anakbayan. Pero ang mabigat na katanungan ay BAKIT AKBAYAN LANG ANG PINUPUNTARYA NINYO?  Bakit tameme kayo sa kaso ng Bayan Muna, Act, Gabriela, Kabataan, Anakpawis, Katribu, Partido Makabayan, KMU at iba pa na klaro namang tumutugaygay sa pampulitikang linya ng CPP-NPA-NDF?  Isang bukas-na-lihim na ang mga organisasyong nabanggit ay legal na mukha ng pampulitikang pakikibaka na sinusulong ng CPP-NPA-NDF “sa pagpapalakas ng armadong rebolusyon mula sa kanayunan” upang ibagsak ang kasalukuyang Pamahalaaan ng  Republika ng Pilipinas.

Meron akong pang-idoheyang agam-agam sa pampulitikang linya na sinusunod ng Akbayan. Pero lalong nakakabahala at sobrang delikado para sa ating mga kalayaan at demokrasya itong ginagawa ng Anakbayan sa pangunguna ni G. Crisostomo Vencer.

In the end, the Filipino people deserve the truth! The continued lies and pretension you have mastered ever since does NO GOOD for the country and the entire Filipino people!

Magpakatotoo kayo!

PEACETALK: TSOKOLATENG LIPOS NG KAMANDAG

Usapang pangkapayaan. Peace talk. Mga katagang parang musika pangkaunlaran sa pandinig. Ngunit may pag-asa ba na makamtan ang tunay na kapayapaan tungo sa pagbangon nitong nabulid na sa kahirapan nating bansa sa pag-uusap ng Pamahalaan at CPP-NPA-NDF?

Noong inumpisahan ni Pangulong Cory Aquino ang pakipagdayalogo sa mga komunista bilang bahagi ng kanyang government of peace and reconciliation, tahasang ideneklara ni Luis Jalandoni (Chief Negotiator ng NDF) na ang “…peacetalk is another form of legal struggle that must be utilized to advance the national democratic revolution….”

Nagpalit ang ilang mga Administrasyon hanggang muling naluklok ang isang Aquino muli sa Malakanyang, ganun pa rin ang linyang sinusulong ng CPP-NPA-NDF. At mas kumplikado sapagkat “pumayag” ang mga negosyador ng gobyerno na makipag-usap sa mga komunistang rebelde kahit walang DDR!

Ayon sa United Nations (UN) batay sa karanasan ng mga bansang kasapi nito, ang D-D-R ay disarmament, demobilization at reintegration. Maging matagumpay lamang ang peace talks kung ang mga rebelde ay handang magbaba ng armas upang obhetibo na mapag-usapan ang mga rekisitos tungo sa kapayapaan. Kaagapay dito ang pagtigil ng mga pangangatake at sa tamang proseso at koordinasyon sa gobyerno ang paglatag ng tamang infrastructures upang responsableng makabalik sa mainstream ng lipunan ang mga insurektos.

Subalit, balintuna sa inaasahan - ang Government of the Philippines (GPH) panel sa pamumuno ni Atty. Alex Padilla ay pumayag na manatiling armado ang NPA habang nakikipag-usap! At para malusaw ang mga pambabatikos dahil merong patakaran na “no negotiations with the terrorists” nagawan nang paraan na opisyal nang matanggal ang katawagang terorista sa CPP-NPA-NDF.

Kahit pa man sa mga development na ito, wala pa ring humpay ang armadong pananalakay ng NPA: pag-ambush sa mga sundalo at pulis; pamamaslang sa mga CAFGU at sibilyan; pang-kidnap; pangongolekta ng revolutionary taxations at panununog ng mga taxi, truck at construction equipments sa mga hindi tumalima sa ekstorsyon ng mga rebelde.

Patuloy din ang pagsampa ng CPP-NPA-NDF sa Gobyerno ng mga demands na “palayain” ang mga kasamahan nilang “political prisoners” kahit ang mga ito ay may criminal na mga kaso sa korte. Ayon sa mga komunista, marami sa mga nakukulong na ito ang bahagi ng kanilang negotiating panel bilang consultants at nakalista di-umano sa listahang nakatago sa Netherlands.

Pero noong binuksan ang pinagmamalaking “listahan saved on a diskette” ang lumabas ay machine language and jargons na kahit sino man sa panel ng CPP-NPA-NDF ay walang makaunawa!

Mabilis namang nagpalusot ang mga komunista na “nagkalabu-labo” lang daw ang files kaya bigyan pa sila ng sapat na panahon upang ma-decipher ang laman ng diskette.

Nitong huli, mukhang nagulantang (kuno) mula sa panaginip-habang-gising ang GPH panel na niluluko lamang sila ng CPP-NPA-NDF. Maari daw maantala ang peacetalks dahil sa impossible demands ng mga komunista habang walang humpay sa paglunsad ng mga teroristang gawain.

HABANG inaantabayanan ang open pronouncements hinggil sa developments na ito, sumisingaw naman ang sinyales na may under the table na mga aregluhang nagaganap.

TOTOO BA NA NAKAHANDA NA ANG MGA ISKEMA SA PAGLATAG NG COALITION GOVERNMENT WITH THE CPP-NPA-NDF? Ayon sa mga “usok” may ilang mga elemento mula sa rightist organizations na kasabwat sa balaking ito. The most “un-holy alliance” ba? Gaano ka-totoo na labas-masok sa Palasyo ng Malakanyang ang dalawang kilalang ‘legal personalities’ ng mga komunistang-terorista?

Itong mga paghahabol sa mga korap na kumakulapol sa lahat na media outlets (kasama na dyan ang mga haw shao) ay decoy lang ba sa mas malagim na pakipag-kwalisyon sa mga komunista?

Ano man ang posibleng senaryong magaganap, dapat ang mamamayang nagmamahal para sa progresibo, responsible at organisadong demokrasya ay maging mapagmatyag upang hindi nila maisalaksak sa lalamunan ng republikang ito ang tsokolateng lipos ng kamandag!