FINAL REPORT - Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism

to abduct Patricio’s wife should she not surrender the gun they insisted was being
hidden by Patricio’s family. Cristina’s family later reported the incident to the police
but the latter refused to help them. They said they would not want to antagonize the
military.
On 7 April 2005, Cristina and her mother went to seek the help of
Congressman Figueroa. They chanced upon Gen. Palparan, head of the Philippine
Army 8 th Infantry Division and the superior of Lt. Basquiñas, at the congressman’s
house. Cristina noticed that the general’s vehicle parked outside the house was
surprisingly the same vehicle used by the military in the abduction of her father.
Cristina and her mother confronted Gen. Palparan. The general forced them to
admit that Patricio was a member of the NPA. [Did the relatives of Patricio admit that
he is a member of the NPA?!] Cristina asked Palparan why her father was being
illegally detained and why they were not allowed to visit him. Palparan then replied
that he was now allowing visits for Patricio. Cristina and her mother also insisted for
the release of Patricio, but Palparan rejected it, saying Patricio was old anyway.
After Palparan had left, Cong. Figueroa told Cristina and her mother that
Palparan admitted Patricio was under military custody. [Bitin ito. Dapat sabihin kung
an na ang nangyari kay Patrici matatpos makuha ang ganitong admission kay
Palparan.]
As a testament of the widespread brutal killing of civilians, a survivor of the
massacre of farmers in Palo, Leyte on 21 November 2005, a couple of days before the
last session of the proceedings, was presented before the Congress.
Repression of Peasants
RICHARD MARGALLO, chairperson of San Agustin Farmer-Beneficiaries Multipurpose
Cooperative (SFBMC) in Brgy. San Agustin, Palo, Leyte, testified that on 24
June 2004, six members (Rene Margallo, Renato Dizon, Fe Muriel Obejas, Bernabe
Burra, Francisco Cobacha and Ariel Cantiso) consulted the cooperative on the issue of
landgrabbing committed by Pedro Margallo.
Richard Margallo emphasized that the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR)
had previously awarded the disputed lands to these six members. Pedro Margallo,
however, insisted on taking possession of the land. So Bernabe Burra sought the help
of Bayan Muna-Metro Tacloban Chapter.
The cooperative thereafter planned a “balik-uma” or a back-to-farming activity,
to help the six farmer-beneficiaries assert their position on the awarded land. It was
set on 21 November 2005.
In preparation for the “balik-uma” activity, more or less 50 farmer-members
gathered as early as the evening of 20 November 2005 in the “kamalig” or makeshift
hut near the land they would till. They were joined in by other farmers from
neighboring villages.
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