TACLOBAN CITY-Human rights group Katungod-Sinirangan Bisayas-Karapatan has condemned the alleged “militarization” of two Northern Samar towns and vowed to continue opposing the counterinsurgency program Oplan Bayanihan in the said province.

 Lawyer Kathrina Castillo, documentation and legal services committee of Katungod-Sinirangan Bisayas, said the presence of soldiers reportedly belonging to the 34th Infantry Battalion (IB) based in Catubig town in Northern Samar did not only stir fears among the villagers but also resulted to their economic dislocation.

Castillo said human rights violations in the area have increased and one of the recent victims was a certain Jovito Pajanustan.
 “Based on our fact-finding investigation, circumstances would point to the military as the perpetrator but we could not ascertain as to who and what particular group is responsible for the killing,” Castillo said.

 On January 11-16, the group conducted a fact-finding mission in five villages in Las Navas and eight villages in Catubig, Northern Samar to document cases of human rights violations.

 The group has recorded at least 37 human rights violations, and believes more cases have not been reported yet to authorities.

 “In the case of Jovito Pajanustan, we discovered he was tortured before he was killed. The torture marks could be attributed to the military. After the incident, the military offered a sanctuary to the victim’s family. The military also asked the village officials to sign an affidavit stating among others that the killing was not perpetrated by the military,” Castillo said.

 But according to the military, their presence in Northern Samar’s villages is part of their Oplan Bayanihan, a campaign on peace and development.

 Lt. Col. Niceforo Diaz, the Army’s spokesperson, said the military is not harassing civilians but are helping them in achieving development in their areas.

 Meanwhile, fact-finding mission member Children’s Rehabilitation Center (CRC) noted violations of children’s rights in the interior villages of Las Navas and Catubig towns.

Eule Rico Bonganay, CRC’s project staff for the Visayas, said hundreds of children in the area have experienced trauma.

 “In Barangay Osang and Hinagoyonan (Catubig) and San Miguel (Las Navas) militarization had affected the lives of the children. Day care centers were converted into military shelters and the children could not attend their activities,” Bonganay said.

 “We strongly recommend the military pullout in areas where there are civilians, especially in facilities intended for children,” Bonganay added. (REYAN L. ARINTO)