By Julie Alipala - Mindanao Bureau
ZAMBOANGA CITY--Eight children, ages 4 to 16 years old, were allegedly subjected to psychological torture by government soldiers in Indanan, Sulu.
Bai Racma Imam, secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DSWD-ARMM), was furious after receiving reports of the arrest and psychological torture of the children. "[These] big boys are not just committing human rights violations, they are also committing child abuse," Imam said.
She was referring to members of the Joint Special Operations Force under Brig. Ruperto Pabustan as the "big boys."
Imam said she was trying to know the whereabouts of the children and their parents "so charges can be filed against those who did the abuse." And, Imam said, the soldiers involved "should be educated on human rights and child's rights."
Temojen Tulawie of the Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society (CBCC), said the children were arrested with their parents from their homes in Indanan town in Sulu on August 19.
All eight children and six other adults were brought to Camp Teodulo Bautista, main base of Task Force Comet, 104th Army Brigade and Joint Special Operations Force in the capital town of Jolo, Tulawie said.
Tulawie said CBC took custody of the children and women after their release and turnover to Governor Abdusakur Tan a day after the arrest. "That's when we discovered their ordeal."
A 13-year-old girl (name withheld) told CBCC members that she and two other children witnessed how soldiers tortured their fathers. "Tinutukan ng baril sa ulo ang tatay nila sa harap nila mismo habang napapaluha ang mga tatay nila," Tulawie said. [They witnessed guns being pointed at the heads of their crying fathers.]
The girl also described how the soldiers treated them. "Tinutukan din sila ng patalim sa leeg nila kasama yung 6 at 4 years old na mga bata. Naka-bonnet mask ang mga sundalo. Tinanong sila kung nasaan ang baril ng tatay nila at pinagsabihan pa sila na maghukay na ng kanilang libingan," Tulawie added. [A jungle knife was thrust against the necks of the children, even the six and four-year-olds. The soldiers were wearing bonnet masks. The kids were asked where their fathers’ guns were being hidden and they were told to dig up their graves.]
Tulawie said the victims, out of fear, immediately left Sulu. "All of them had left Sulu. The children stopped schooling because of trauma," he said.
Jose Manuel Mamauag, regional director of the Commission of Human Rights, said they were still gathering information regarding the the alleged arrest and psychological torture, "but what the soldiers committed, if found true, is psychological torture."
But Maj. Gen. Reuben Rafael of Task Force Comet, in a phone interview, denied allegations that there was torture, physical or psychological, on those arrested.
But Rafael confirmed that there were arrests during the implementation of a gun ban in the province, and that those arrested were only interrogated and released later.
He, however, admitted that five persons remained in their custody "because they are suspected members of the Abu Sayyaf Group."
Bai Racma Imam, secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DSWD-ARMM), was furious after receiving reports of the arrest and psychological torture of the children. "[These] big boys are not just committing human rights violations, they are also committing child abuse," Imam said.
She was referring to members of the Joint Special Operations Force under Brig. Ruperto Pabustan as the "big boys."
Imam said she was trying to know the whereabouts of the children and their parents "so charges can be filed against those who did the abuse." And, Imam said, the soldiers involved "should be educated on human rights and child's rights."
Temojen Tulawie of the Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society (CBCC), said the children were arrested with their parents from their homes in Indanan town in Sulu on August 19.
All eight children and six other adults were brought to Camp Teodulo Bautista, main base of Task Force Comet, 104th Army Brigade and Joint Special Operations Force in the capital town of Jolo, Tulawie said.
Tulawie said CBC took custody of the children and women after their release and turnover to Governor Abdusakur Tan a day after the arrest. "That's when we discovered their ordeal."
A 13-year-old girl (name withheld) told CBCC members that she and two other children witnessed how soldiers tortured their fathers. "Tinutukan ng baril sa ulo ang tatay nila sa harap nila mismo habang napapaluha ang mga tatay nila," Tulawie said. [They witnessed guns being pointed at the heads of their crying fathers.]
The girl also described how the soldiers treated them. "Tinutukan din sila ng patalim sa leeg nila kasama yung 6 at 4 years old na mga bata. Naka-bonnet mask ang mga sundalo. Tinanong sila kung nasaan ang baril ng tatay nila at pinagsabihan pa sila na maghukay na ng kanilang libingan," Tulawie added. [A jungle knife was thrust against the necks of the children, even the six and four-year-olds. The soldiers were wearing bonnet masks. The kids were asked where their fathers’ guns were being hidden and they were told to dig up their graves.]
Tulawie said the victims, out of fear, immediately left Sulu. "All of them had left Sulu. The children stopped schooling because of trauma," he said.
Jose Manuel Mamauag, regional director of the Commission of Human Rights, said they were still gathering information regarding the the alleged arrest and psychological torture, "but what the soldiers committed, if found true, is psychological torture."
But Maj. Gen. Reuben Rafael of Task Force Comet, in a phone interview, denied allegations that there was torture, physical or psychological, on those arrested.
But Rafael confirmed that there were arrests during the implementation of a gun ban in the province, and that those arrested were only interrogated and released later.
He, however, admitted that five persons remained in their custody "because they are suspected members of the Abu Sayyaf Group."
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