February 3, 2008
Press Release

LAKBAYAN Participants Continuously Experience Military Harassments

730th CGPAF continuously sow military atrocities on civilian communities in Batangas, in Hacienda Looc and Brgy. Natipuan, Nasugbu, major peasant areas who attended the LAKBAYAN last January 16-22.

Upon declaration of the Presidential Executive Order 647 subjecting 21 barangays of Nasugbu to national eco-tourism project, intensive military operations are being conducted by battalion sizes of military that has been deployed in the affected areas.

In Brgy. Calayo, as part of Nasugbu-Ternate Eco-tourist Road Project, military checkpoints were set-up. People are being stopped, interrogated and harassed. The militaries would not allow any civilian to enter the said barangay. According to the data gathered by KARAPATAN volunteers, Mrs. Coche Polagan, a principal of Brgy. Looc Elementary School was even made to kneel down together with his husband, Narsing Polagan during one of the checkpoints entering Brgy. Calayo.

“They are using military pursuit operations to conceal the real issue of land grabbing on Nasugbu farmers. They are now resorting to harassments, interrogation and enforced evacuation to ensure the implementation of the project,’ said Dina Capetillo, Chairperson of KARAPATAN-Batangas.

According to Romy Cayao, Chairperson of SAMBAT (Samahan Ng Magbubukid ng Batangas), the militaries even burned down just this afternoon the shanty of Sopreno Cabral, after destroying the houses of Florence Reyes and Toribio Reyes. There were also cases of economic sabotage where the militaries confiscated sacks of rice from the civilians.

“These military officers must be made responsible for the human rights violations they have committed to innocent civilians. As of now, 25 families are forced to leave their houses, some of which are already in our custody,” added Capetillo.

Tomorrow, February 4, together with KARAPATAN-Batangas and the Sangguniang Bayan (SB) of Nasugbu, the victims will have a dialogue with Mayor Antonio Barcelon to demand the pull-out of the militaries in the area and to stop the eco-tourism project that have caused series of human rights violations and displacement of farmers in Nasugbu.


Contact Person: Dina Capetillo (0921.251.7997)
Chairperson
KARAPATAN Batangas