PNP men, BAI personnel accused of harassing Bungsuan farmers
Dumarao, Capiz -- Farmers group Pamanggas accused members of the Philippine National Police's 314th Mobile Group and the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) of harassing the farmers of Bungsuan, Dumarao, Capiz.
Nilo Arado, secretary general of Pamanggas, said three farmers, namely, Ronald Carisma y Dogelio, 27 yrs old, single; Medy Gotes y Carisma, 32 yrs old, married and Norberto Gaspar y Martino, 43 yrs old, married, were fired at by the members of the 314th PNP mobile force, when they attempted to plow the field while some personnel of BAI destroyed their crops last November 22, December 6, and December 9, 2006.
The 314th PNP mobile force is headed by Maj. Bermilando Gordon.
Arado added an estimated P35,000.00 worth of crops were damaged when the same perpetrators ravaged the farms of Arnold Gaspar, Edna Biato, Felipe Iligan, Federico Llaver Jr. and Alfredo Lanuevo Jr. last December 7 and 21.
Arado further said that the houses of farmers Eval Diocera, Anging Llaver , Lorde Tropico, Bienvenido Alinain, Jesus Iligan and Romeo Paveliar were torched during night time.
"We are calling Governor Vicente Bermejo to respond immediately to the need and call of the Bungsuan Farmers for Justice and peace. We likewise calling the attention of Secretary of Justice Raul Gonzalez, Sr. to stop this PNP atrocities and suspend and persecute Major Bermilando Gordon," Arado said.
The News Today failed to reach Gordon and the PNP officials in the region for their reactions as they were not available at press time.