Army denies hand in torching of Bayan Muna radio station

ILAGAN, Isabela — The military has denied any involvement in the torching of a month-old community-based radio station owned and operated by the militant party-list group Bayan Muna in a remote Cagayan town last Sunday.

Earlier, Brig. Gen. Alexander Yapching, commanding general of the Army’s 5th Infantry Division (ID) based here, also belied insinuations that the Army was involved in the ambush-slaying of Ilagan Mayor Delfinito Albano in Quezon City due to his perceived links to some militant groups here.

Lt. Col. Leopoldo Galon, 5th ID spokesman, described the allegation that the military was behind the burning of Radyo Cagayano in Buguey town as "absurd."

Eight ski mask-wearing men, some of them reportedly brandishing M-16 Armalite rifles, barged into the Bayan Muna-funded radio station in the Buguey town proper, then poured gasoline on its equipment and facilities.

Before the station went ablaze, the unidentified suspects, some of them reportedly wearing military watches and fatigue uniforms, divested the employees, including station manager Susan Mapa, of their cellular phones.

Mapa later described the attack as a "systematic suppression of press freedom."

The province-wide radio station had been perceived to be critical of the local military.

The month-old radio station was constructed through the pork barrel of Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Satur Ocampo.

Galon said the communists have been fond of blaming the Armed Forces for all sorts of incidents, including the killings of militant leaders, which he said are not in line with the government’s policy of promoting peace and reconciliation.

Earlier, Yapching said the Armed Forces always upholds the rights of every individual regardless of his social and economic status.

He also insisted that the military had no hand in the killing of Albano, who was gunned down by three men in Quezon City last week.

The military was dragged into the killing because of the mayor’s supposed good relations with some militant organizations here, especially in their fight against some multinational-funded and government-backed projects in this capital town, including the controversial genetically engineered corn crops and a coal-fired power plant.

Once, Albano reportedly threatened to uproot corn crops from an experimental farm in his town.

Yapching said even captured hardcore communist leaders and rebels are treated well, and their rights as humans and citizens of the Republic respected despite their fierce anti-government stance.