By Veronika Generyll Barbosa
ALBUERA, LEYTE — Farmer and hunter Wilfredo “Willy” Agustin, accompanied by members of National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers-Tacloban Chapter and Katungod Sinirangan Bisayas, went to the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Regional Office last November 28 to file a complaint against Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Battalion for the series of harassment after his refusal to become an intelligence officer for the military.
Agustin recounted that he was visited in his home by five soldiers and military assets last October 20. Three of the visitors were women who identified themselves as rebel surrenderees.
They offered to make him an intelligence officer of the military claiming that he is well oriented on the ins and outs of the mountains and could help them locate alleged guerrilla camps.
“There were several times that they would visit our house. Once, they offered to give us half a kilo of rice in exchange for my being an intelligence officer. Just recently, they also gave me a cellphone saying that it was a gift from the mayor, only to find out that it was actually from the military, so I destroyed it,” Agustin said in vernacular.
Agustin also shared that their town mayor once summoned him to meet with the 3rd IB.
He said they asked for his cellphone number, but the mayor objected to the request and offered to give Agustin his number instead so he could contact him directly.
“I would often see some soldiers in our area with other military agents. Even two of our neighbors started surveilling me, which has caused so much anxiety to my family. I seldom go to the woods in fear that the military would kill me, plant fake guns and ammunition and make it appear that I am a member of the New People’s Army (NPA) even when I am just a mere farmer and a hunter trying to earn a living,” Agustin said.
Rights group Katungod, in an interview, said that this pattern of harassment by the military and other state agents against farmers has been happening on the islands of Leyte and Samar.
This, they said, inflicts economic harm on farmers [because it disrupts their livelihoods] and causes emotional trauma for people in rural areas where military presence is prevalent.
“This action directly violates the constitutional protections guaranteed to every individual’s life and dignity. No one should ever be coerced into becoming an agent of the state. These strategies by military agents are appalling,” stressed NUPL-Tacloban.
“It is deeply troubling that Wilfredo’s livelihood has been severely disrupted due to the relentless harassment faced by him and his family,” the lawyers’ group also said, adding they will monitor the situation closely to make sure justice is served and the perpetrators of the harassment are held accountable. (JDS)
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