ANDA–Complaints of abuses prompted the barangay council of Talisay to pass a resolution requesting the governor to pull out the Citizens Armed Forces Geographic Units (CAFGU) that operates in barangay Talisay here under the auspices of the Philippine Army. The complaints include alleged attempted rape, drunkenness, indiscriminate firing, environmental concern and stabbing. Barangay Talisay, under the leadership of village head Magdalino Gultiano, passed Resolution 13 on August 21, requesting Governor Erico Aumentado “to pull out the Civilian Auxiliary Army (CAA) Detachment 3rd BHL Echo “Coy” 521B of the 81D Philippine Army” based in the barangay. “They (CAFGUs) are the supposed protectors of the civilians in times of war and peace, however, they are the abuser of our barangay,” barangay officials stated in the resolution.

The barangay council unanimously approved the resolution that alleged “several abuses” by CAFGU members. “These (abuses) involved an attempted rape of a certain Juanita Libot,” the resolution cited.   A certain Arsenia Jandayan also narrated how the CAFGU men initiated fights and hit civilians, while some of them had been drunkards and some engaged in indiscriminate firing while under the influence of liquor which threatened the villagers. The resolution further accused CAFGU men of having littered their human wastes in the vicinity of houses nearby their camp, because of the absence of toilets. The council also cited complaints of some residents whose young coconuts were harvested by the CAFGUs, leaving them nothing to harvest.

The most serious complaint that the resolution cited was the stabbing incident that occurred during the disco in the dawn of August 17 during the celebration of San Roque fiesta. “The stabbing incident seriously involved a certain Reynaldo “Nano” Hinampas, a CAFGU member as suspect but is now at large,” the resolution cited. Hinampas escaped, the resolution said, with the help of his brother, Jose- -also a CAFGU member- -using the service motorcycle as getaway vehicle. “Instead of detaining the suspect, they facilitated the escape,” the resolution criticized. The barangay officials of Talisay pointed out that the governor must “eject the detachment from its present location” immediately to avoid “further untoward incident.” The Philippine Army said that the said abuses are reportedly perpetrated by the CAFGUs in their private capacity and not in line of their duties. It said that it does not tolerate such abuses committed by the CAFGU and those found guilty will suffer the consequences. The barangay furnished the Commission on Human Rights in Bohol , a copy of the resolution, for investigation. (RVO)