Guihulngan City saw yet another wave of state-sanctioned violence from the military as two minors, 15-year old Meriam Benero and 17-year old Mary Ann Pasculado were taken by the military during the fabricated encounter perpetuated by the 62nd Infantry Battalion at Sitio Maluy-a, Brgy. Sandayao last August 14, 2020 and are still detained until today, according to human rights group Hustisya Guihulngan.

Meanwhile, Arnold Berondo, a farmer, was illegally arrested by elements of the 62nd Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army in Sitio Lanigpa Brgy. Humay Humay Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental on the evening of August 22, 2020 (Saturday). His whereabouts are still unknown.

These two minors were classified to be New People’s Army (NPA) recruits by the said military battalion, remarking in their statement that they had rescued the minors from their “temporary hideout”, who were airlifted out of the area and handed over to the local DSWD (Department of Social Welfare & Development) for “trauma counseling”. Hustisya Guihulngan refutes these claims and state that they are illegally being kept from their parents by DSWD Guihulngan, who had been looking for them extensively ever since the encounter.

When the parents of the minors finally were able to reach their children and bring their children home, the DSWD said that they must pay PhP 200,000 for the helicopter ride used to airlift the children out of their community. The DSWD also made the parents sign a form declaring they were no longer accountable as members of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps). Human rights advocates condemned this act as the parents were unaware of the legal proceedings and the rights of their kids as minors.

Hustisya Central Negros released a statement calling on DSWD Guihulngan City to do their genuine duty of protecting the poor, children, and women who are victims of abuse. They also state that the DSWD has no right to say that the parents of the victims have to shoulder the cost of the airlift as they are also taxpayers and buy the daily necessities of their children; thus entitled to the beneficiaries of workers’ benefits from the DSWD whose department is funded by “the blood and sweat of people who work to provide a commodity that society needs” (referring to the parents’ farming occupation).

Last week, Hustisya Guihulngan reported that Delia Carahasan, a 55-year old farmer, had her house ransacked and was shot near her ear, and Reken Remasog, 24 year-old civilian and father of a 9-month old son, was shot dead by troops with amputated legs during the August 14 raid by military upon their community at Sitio Maluy-a, Brgy. Sandayao, Guihulngan City.

On the other hand, the Philippine Army states that this operation states that firefight broke out between suspected New People’s Army rebels that led to two soldiers being shot and one NPA member killed, according to 303rd Infantry Brigade commander Col. Inocenio Pasaporte.