By Ma. Aurora R. Fajardo Human rights groups condemned the Cordillera Police’s alleged arrest and torture of 11 backpackers, including a 15-year-old girl, in Benguet on Valentine’s Day. The Philippine National Police (PNP) Cordillera claimed the backpackers were members of the New Peoples’ Army (NPA), who raided an Army detachment in Barangay (village) Cabiten, Mankayan on February 10. Two soldiers and a member of the Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit (Cafgu) were killed in the attack. “Again, the PNP has shown disregard human dignity by torturing the victims," the Cordillera Peoples’ Alliance said in a statement. The Cordillera Human Rights Alliance (CHRA) identified the backpackers Rundren Berloize G. Lao of Davao City; Anderson Tabocanon Alonzo, 18, of Calinan, Davao City; Aldoz Christian Maòoza, 18, of Santolan, Pasig City; Ron Baquiran Pandino, 20, of Barangay Mayatba, Siniloan, Laguna; Ray Lester Esguerra Mendoza, 16, of Barangay Rizal, Makati City; Jethro Villagracia, 21, of Calinan, Davao City; Neil Russel Sarmiento Balajadia, 25, from Santolan, Pasig City; Darwin Padilla Alazar, 21, from Urdaneta City, Pangasinan; Arvie Molmog Nuòez, 21, of Barangay Silangang Mayao, Lucena City; Jefferson dela Rosa, 20, of Santolan, Pasig City; and Frencess Ann Galdonez Bernal, 15, of Calumpang, Marikina City. The CHRA said the perpetrators were members of the 1604th PNP Provincial Mobile Group and the 3rd Coy of the Regional Mobile Group. The Alliance’s lawyer Mary Ann Bayang said the excursionists were hitching on a dump truck on Halsema highway when police manning a checkpoint in Barangay Abatan, Buguias, ordered them to alight for inspection. She said the police set up the checkpoint as part of the pursuit operation of the suspects for the Mankayan raid. Authorities brought the backpackers to Camp Molintas in Baguio; they blindfolded punched and hit different parts of the victims’ bodies, including their genitals. Atty Bayang said police officers electrocuted and threw the victims into grave-like dugouts while mouthing death threats. “The police wanted the backpackers to admit a crime they did not commit," Bayang told GMANews.TV. She said the excursionists had owned up the charges because they could longer endure the torture. On February 16, the police charged the victims for robbery with homicide and detained them in the Benguet provincial jail. Punks Bayang said the excursionists were punk artists, who attended a musical gig in Gerona, Tarlac on February 13. The group decided to proceed to Baguio City where they could hike to the Sagada mountain ranges. “They were strangers and obviously travelers, that’s why the police got suspicious on them," the lawyer said. Senior Superintendent Villamor Bumanglag, Benguet police director, however said several civilians and Cafgu members identified the backpackers among those who raided the Army detachment. He said the police arrested the suspects on court order and subjected them to proper inquest. “We deny accusations that the suspects were tortured or maltreated," Bumanglag told GMANews.TV. The suspects underwent medical examination at the Baguio General Hospital before they were brought to the provincial jail, he said. “Membership with the NPA has no age limits," Bumanglag said when informed that three of the backpackers were teenagers. Col. Samuel Bataoil, PNP spokesperson, said the police is willing to investigate the allegations upon receipt of formal complaints. The Commission on Human Rights would also look into the case. Sarah Sison, public relations officer of CHR, said they would ask for field reports from their regional office. As of posting time, Only the families of the backpackers living in Manila and Laguna have been informed of their children’s situation. CHRA lawyers and the Free Legal Assistance Group would push for reinvestigation and immediate release of the backpackers. This is not the first time the Benguet police were accused of torture and human- rights violations. In 1992, five Benguet policemen were found guilty for torturing and killing four women, including a pregnant woman, whom they accused of stealing pants from a store. The news shocked the nation because one of the supposed casualties, then 14-year-old Myrna Diones, miraculously survived to tell their ordeal. GMANEWS.TV
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