PAGADIAN
CITY – PAGADIAN
CITY – The premier Division of the Philippine Army assured the
members of Bayog United Subanen Tribe Organization to be protected from all
forms of harassments from any perpetrators, Maj. Gen. Ricardo Rainier G. Cruz
III, Tabak Commander said.
The assurance of the Tabak Commander was a response of the request
by the Council of the Elders of Subanen Tribes seeking justice to the victim of
July 25, 2012 incident resulting the death of lowly Subanen small scale miner
laborer and the wounded of two others.
The independent investigation team was organized to determine the
truthfulness of the incident in order to give justice to the lowly Subanen
victims and to prosecute the responsible criminals.
The findings of the investigation disclosed that the press
statement released through a local daily by the Toronto Venture Incorporated-Resource
Development Inc. Phils. (TVI-RD) mining company on the two (2) shooting
incidents between its guards and some small-scale miner-workers which
transpired in the evening of July 25, 2012 at Barangay Depore, Bayog, Zamboanga
del Sur contradicts the result of the joint investigation made by the Zamboanga
del Sur Provincial Police Office (ZSPPO) and the 1st Infantry
(TABAK) Division, Philippine Army.
It can
be recalled that the TVI-RD issued a public statement that its security guards
were attacked by an armed group of the small-scale miner-workers in two (2)
successive incidents about 7 o’clock and 9 o’clock of that evening, respectively,
which prompted the former to retaliate in self-defense. Further, the company
claims that there was an actual exchange of fire between the two (2) parties.
However,
investigation disclosed that during the first incident, members of the
pseudo-organization employed by the said mining company to execute dirty works
commonly known among miners in Balabag area as “K9” were confiscating the
containers of diesel fuel carried by more or less forty-nine (49) small-scale
miner-laborers (cargadores) who were just passing by the TVI-RD manned
checkpoint in the vicinity of Purok 7, SitioBalabag of the said barangay. When
Wilbert Catampungan, an unarmed small-scale miner-laborer, refused to yield his
container, Godofredo D. JungoyJr, a “K9” member, shot him to death with a
caliber 45 pistol. The victim was rushed to Bayog Medical Clinic but was later
pronounced dead. A criminal case of homicide has been filed against the suspect
before the Provincial Prosecutor in Pagadian City.
In the
succeeding incident, it was found out that the TVI-RD security guards
deliberately fired upon more or less thirty (30) unarmed Subanen small-scale
miner-laborers who were just passing by the vicinity of Kamagong Security Post
in Sitio Balabag carrying containers of diesel fuel. The incident resulted to
the wounding of Royroy A. Dalangon and Jumar D. Tumalis, a nephew of Sindangan,
Zamboangadel Nortetribal chieftain Isis Guilingan.
Police
Senior Inspector EilenSardonFermindoza, the Chief of the Provincial
Investigation and Detective Management Branch in Pagadian City, said that there
was no actual gunfight between the two (2) parties. Majority of the firearms
used by the TVI-RD security guards were 12-gauge shotgun and, surprisingly,
only spent cartridges of the same firearm have been found at the crime scene.
Further, all the involved guards’ firearms yielded positive on gun-powder
residue upon examination. She also stated that in an armed engagement, the
normal course of human experience dictates that casualties are expected from
both sides. In both incidents, only the small-scale miner-laborers Dalangon and
Tumalis were wounded.
53rd
Infantry Battalion first responders in the area led by Cpt. Rafael L.
Balincamaya, confirmed that all the spent cartridges they recovered were indeed
from a 12-gauge shotgun, just a few feet from the security post where the
alleged armed small-scale miner-laborers were situated. He further stated that
that he did not find any bullet holes at the said outpost which denies the
allegation of the TVI-RD that the small-scale miner-laborers fired at the
security guards.
Using
the pieces of evidence gathered to include accounts from several witnesses and
sworn statements of the complainants, cases of two (2) counts frustrated murder
and six (6) forattempted murder have been filed at a local court against the
seven (7) security guards of the TVI-RD who are all under the Big JR private
security agency.
Meanwhile,
the Indigenous People of Bayog and Sindangan condemned the illegal actions of
the TVI-RD management that resulted to the unjust killing and wounding of the
Subanen small-scale miner-laborers.
Maj. Gen.
Cruz III said, the truth shall always prevail. “In the spirit of Bayanihan, we
will always support whatever investigation will be undertaken by any
investigative bodies such as our PNP counterparts when needed. Every Tabak
trooper should remain vigilant and at all times be protectors of the people in
our communities” he concluded. (JONG CADION)
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