Karapatan calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Kidapawan farmers who were illegally arrested and detained after demanding from the provincial government of North Cotabato in Mindanao the release of rice supply as aid to farmers in drought-stricken communities.
Karapatan calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Kidapawan farmers who were illegally arrested and detained after demanding from the provincial government of North Cotabato in Mindanao the release of rice supply as aid to farmers in drought-stricken communities.
At least 78 persons, majority are farmers from North Cotabato, were arrested in the aftermath of the bloody dispersal of the barricade on April 1, 2016. The farmers were charged with illegal assault and were required to post bail in the amount of Php 12,000 each.
Cristina Palabay, Karapatan secretary general, lambasted the prosecutor’s opposition to the motion to reduce bail filed by counsels of the farmers led by the Union of Peoples’ Lawyers in Mindanao and the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers. “Let us not forget that the peasants were in Kidapawan to seek the release of rice because they are hungry and could no longer plant. How on earth could they post bail amounting to more or less PhP1 million when they could not even afford a kilo of rice? Nasaan ang hustisya dito?,” Palabay said.
Of the 78 detained persons, there were 45 men, 29 women, and four minors. There are also three pregnant women and six elderly individuals among those who were arrested. At least seven victims of frustrated killing who were hospitalized were also charged with illegal assault. All minors were released on April 5 while two of the male detainees, who are health workers of the Fr. Fausto Tentorio Foundation, already posted bail.
Palabay called the farmers’ plight picture perfect oppression. “The farmers are victims of natural calamity who are victimized many times over by the regime’s neglect and brutality, illegal arrest and detention. Now, they are required to pay PhP12,000 each for their temporary liberty.”
Among the detained farmers, Christopher Candiban, 24, narrated that the police chased and fired at him and his pregnant wife. “The road was like on fire with every burst of gunfire,” Candiban said in his affidavit.
Two parish health volunteers were also rounded up by police. The two, Allie Ray Palma and Juanito Gomez, were called to help the wounded farmers, but ended up in jail as well. Palma and Gomez were stopped by police on their way to the United Methodist Church. The police searched their bags and found medicine. The two were accused as “NPA doctors” and were sent to jail.
Arnel Takyawan is among the seven wounded protesters. He was hit in the right foot by one of the snipers on top of a fire truck. He said the police failed on his first attempt to shoot him. Takyawan and another wounded farmer ran to the Methodist church compound and hid but the police chased them. He was hesitant, he said, because he saw how the police beat up others who were already wounded. A police approached his companion and threatened, “Tapusin na natin ito (Let’s kill this one)”
The police brought Takyawan and companion to the emergency room of the Midway Hospital and told the doctors they were hit by stones. A policeman told him “Yan ang napala n’yo sa kahihingi ng bigas. Mga tamad kasi kayo. Bigas ang inyong hinahanap, sa ospital kayo lumagpak” (That’s what you get for asking rice. You are all lazy. You ask for rice, you end up in the hospital). Armed police guarded the wounded at the hospital. Takyawan was discharged from the hospital on April 5 and was immediately brought to the Kidapawan gym where other farmers were detained.