Army man, 2 CAFGUs charged for failing to secure militants’ kin

Criminal charges were filed against an Army officer and two volunteers of the Civilian Armed Force Geographical Unit (CAFGU) in Misamis Oriental for their alleged failure to secure the relatives of two slain militants.

Charged were Cpl. Apang Abdul Moner, assistant area commander of the Army’s 8th Infantry Battalion, and two CAFGU volunteers whose names were not immediately available.

Chief Superintendent Geary Barias, chief of Task Force Usig of the Philippine National Police (PNP), said the charges were filed against the three after relatives of two Bayan Muna members in Misamis Oriental – Dalmacio Gandinao and his daughter-in-law, Siche Ballesteros-Gandinao – claimed that Moner’s group failed to respond to the killings.

Dalmacio Gandinao was assassinated last Feb. 8, while his daughter-in-law was killed last March 10 both in Salay City, Misamis Oriental. Police have yet to make any arrest.

"The relatives of the victims claimed they went to the Army headquarters to ask for assistance after the attack on Dalmacio but the three did not respond. The crime scene was only about 100 meters away from the headquarters," said Barias during the Talakayan sa Isyu ng Pulis at Camp Crame in Quezon City yesterday.

Barias said Moner’s case should serve as a lesson to other law enforcers who are mandated to provide assistance to citizens in their areas of jurisdiction.

Earlier, PNP chief Director General Oscar Calderon relieved the Salay City police chief for failing to secure the Gandinao family after Dalmacio’s murder.

Despite the efforts of Task Force Usig to address the unexplained slayings, other militants have been killed, the latest of whom were the Dalmacios and Carlito Getrosa in Pigkawayan, North Cotabato last March 11.

Calderon ordered Task Force Usig to produce more results, extending the PNP’s full support to accomplish its mission of prosecuting those responsible for the killings of militants and journalists. – Cecille Suerte Felipe