Youth activists experience torture from military captors

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Palayain | Youth groups call for the release of Cadano and Salonga who were arrested by combined forces of military and police for being suspected armed rebels. Photo from: Anakbayan New York Facebook community page
Palayain | Youth groups call for the release of Cadano and Salonga who were arrested by combined forces of military and police for being suspected armed rebels. Photo from: Anakbayan New York Facebook community page

Rep Terry Ridon of Kabataan Party-list said on Monday that two of his group’s members that were abducted and detained by combined forces of the military and police in Nueva Ecija province were subjected to psychological torture according to accounts of the detainees whom Ridon visited on Sunday.

Gerald Salonga and Guiller Cadano both members of the local chapter of Kabataan Party-list in Central Luzon were abducted in Brgy. RT Padilla, Carranglan, Nueva Ecija by armed men riding in a red van and two white pick-up trucks at around 3 p.m. last August 9. They were later found at the PNP Provincial Public Safety Company Headquarters in Cabanatuan City on August 11.

From there, the two were transferred to the BJMP detention facility in San Jose City, Nueva Ecija on September 3, following a court order.

The two activists are students of UP Diliman Extension Program in Pampanga (UPDEPP) Salonga, 24, studied BS Psychology. Cadano, 22, has a degree in Business Management.

Salonga and Cadano were subjected to day-long interrogations and psychological torture in a military camp in order for their captors to extract information from the two youth leaders.

“Gerald himself was subjected to a 13-hour interrogation. His captors warned that they would harm his mother if he does not admit that he’s a member of the New People’s Army,” Ridon said.

“At one point, Gerald said he was brought out of the interrogation room and was made to kneel on the ground to feel the dirt on which he will be buried,” the solon added.

Legit operations

The military has earlier been accused by militant groups in Central Luzon of conducting an illegal operation for abducting and detaining Salonga and Cadano. But the commander of the police’s Central Luzon office claimed that the two were armed rebels thus their arrest by state forces.

Chief Superintendent Raul Petrasanta said that, “Based on reports that reached my office, in the evening of August 9, 2014, operating troops implemented warrants of arrest for the crimes of double murder and attempted murder against Ely Taray alias Omeng in Sitio Pimma, Brgy TL Padilla, Carranglan,Nueva Ecija. However, during said implementation when operating teams were approaching the target house, two male persons with backpacks hurriedly came out of the house and fled, which prompted the authorities to chase them.”

“Suspects were immediately caught and were identified as Guiller Cadano y Martin alias Christian, 23, single of Baragay Kaypoan, San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan and Gerald Salinga y Hernandez alias Matt, 23, married of Barangay Cutud, Angeles City, and both Platoon Guides (PG) of NE-NV-EP,” he added.

False charges

The youth solon slammed the AFP and PNP for filing “trumped-up charges” against the two youth organizers. According to documents provided by DND, the two were charged for “violation of RA 10591 (Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunitions Regulation Act) and RA 9516 (Illegal Possession of Explosives).”

“The only evidence they have is a false inventory of materials that had been recovered from them, supposedly including explosives and firearms. This is the only basis of their criminal charge of illegal possession of firearms and explosives.

“But this will clearly not hold in court because the two never signed the inventory. And the inventory was not made in their presence nor in the presence of the owners of the house where they were arrested nor before any barangay official. These are among the strict requirements for a valid inventory of recovered items,” Ridon said.

“The continued proliferation of illegal arrests and detention of youth organizers and members of people’s organizations is proof that the AFP and PNP have not changed a single bit. Those in the military and the police force remain to be the greatest perpetrators of human rights violations in the country,” Ridon concluded.

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