20 May 2007
LEGAZPI CITY—MILITANTS BElied yesterday the Armed Forces’ claim that the two youths found dead in Capalonga, Camarines Norte on Wednesday were communist rebels or victims of “collateral damage,” saying they were poll watchers of the Kabataan party-list group who were abducted and killed.
The military quickly claimed on Wednesday that the victims, identified as Roberto “Jun” Bagasbas, 20, of Barangay Ulipanan, Jose Panganiban and Ronilo Vallevare, 16, of Barangay Old Camp, Capalonga were killed in a “legitimate encounter” with the NPA.
However, Vince Casilihan, head of the Kontra Daya in Bicol, said it was impossible that they were killed as NPA rebels because they were not armed in the first place.
He said the victims were organizers of the Kabataan party-list group and volunteers to the Bicol Task Force Poll Watch (Kontra Daya).
They were reported to have been abducted by “uniformed armed men” on Tuesday while they were on their way home after they delivered food to Kabataan volunteers.
Gunshot wounds
Their bodies, with multiple gunshot wounds, were found Wednesday morning at an isolated place between Barangay Mataque and Catabaguangan, some 15 km from the polling place at Barangay Old Camp, Capalonga.
Marites Lopez, Kabataan regional coordinator, said the two were last seen on Election Day and were still able to cast their votes, but on May 15 they were not able to report for their volunteer work.
The Kabataan party-list in Bicol condemned the killing in an indignation rally on Friday night in Albay and Camarines Norte and accused the military of perpetrating the abduction and the killings.
Maj. Ramon Rosario, 2nd Civil Relation Group commander, said on Thursday that the accusations were “baseless and fabricated” and challenged the youth party-list group to present evidence and file formal complaints.
Lopez also criticized police for failing to document the case.
Inquirer tried to obtain investigation reports from Camp Gen. Simeon Ola on Friday and Saturday but authorities there said it had not yet received any reports from the Camarines Norte police.
No one answering
No one also answered the Inquirer’s calls at the Camarines Norte Provincial Police Office.
Lopez said victory was now within the reach of the Kabataan party-list in Bicol and that they dedicated the win to Bagasbas and Vallevare, who risked their lives just to protect the people’s votes. Ephraim Aguilar, Inquirer Southern Luzon
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