Magpet village chair denies militant group's claim of Army HR violations

MAGPET,
North Cotabato-– Villagers of Barangay Mahongkog today expressed opposition to
calls by militant group to pull out military forces in the village.

Michael
Lingaro, village chair of Barangay Mahongkog, belied claims by Norma Capuyan,
leader of the militant group called Apo Sandawa Lumadnong Panaghiusa sa
Cotabato (ASLPC), that massive human rights violations have been taking place
in Barangay Mahongkog since the Army’s 57th Infantry Battalion
invaded the village. Soldiers,
under Colonel Nilo Vinluan, have been in the village implementing Peace and
Development Outreach Program (PDOP) which the militant group believed could
trigger violation of human rights of the villagers. But Lingaro denied Capuyan’s claim and stressed not a single human rights violation occurred
in Barangay Mahongkog since the Army came.
Only
eight soldiers were deployed in Barangay Mahongkog doing PDOP in partnership
with the village officials. On
Tuesday, militant groups gathered in front of the Magpet town hall in a picket
rally calling for Army pull out. But Lingaro, speaking as village chair with the mandate from villagers,
said not one from Barangay Mahongkog joined the picket. He said they were not from the village or
from any barangay in Magpet.