15 civilians said killed in February due to military operations– Karapatan

February 28, 2017

A human rights organization claimed Tuesday 15 civilians were killed in the month of February due to military operations.

“The recent killings of two farmers in Maayon, Capiz, two more farmers in San Andres, Quezon, and another two in Paquibato, Davao City put the number of reported victims of political killings to 15 in a span of a month, in the onslaught of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ all-out-war and its new counter-insurgency program, Oplan Kapayapaan,” said Karapatan secretary general Cristina Palabay in a statement.

She cited the killings of Ariel Gelbero and Roel Satingasin in Davao City, Ian Borres and Rolendo Borres in Capiz, and Gilbert Bancat and Angel Carabot in Quezon.

Satingasin and Gelbero were found dead in Brgy. Lamanan, Clainan District, Davao City, on February 16, 2017, after taken by elements of the 3rd Infantry Battalion – Philippine Army (IBPA). The military later claimed both are members of the New People’s Army (NPA), which their families vehemently denied. Both were farmers.

On February 24, Ian Borres, Rolendo Borres and five other farmers were indiscriminately fired at by soldiers of the 61st Infantry Battalion while working on their fields in of Sitio Maknoy, Brgy. Jebaca, Maayon, Capiz province.Cousins Ian and Rolendo Borres died due to the shooting.

The 61st IBPA, led by Lt. Joe Mark Bitbit, said the two casualties were NPA members, while the families and residents of the community said otherwise.

On February 25, Gilbert Bancat, 32, coconut farmer and peasant leader in Quezon, was gunned down by unidentified assailants in Sitio Long Beach, Brgy. San Lorenzo, San Andres, Quezon province.

The assailants stood five meters from the victim and shot him twice. An elderly bystander and also a coconut farmer, Angel Carabot, were hit. Both were taken toLucena Hospital, where Bancat was later declared dead. Carabot died in the hospital on February 27. DMS