Militants search Army camp for missing members
Members of left wing groups entered a military camp in Antique province yesterday to search for their two abducted members. Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan)-Panay spokesperson, Aurelio "Boy" Bosque led several other activists in going around the camp of 79th Infantry Batallion in San Jose town in Antique yesterday morning.
Bosque said that the inspection was part of the "elimination process" to single out the group that is behind the abduction of Bayan-Panay chair Nilo Arado and former political detainee Ma. Luisa Posa Dominado, and the shooting of Jose Ely Garachico in Oton Thursday last week.
Lt. Col. Nestor Porlucas, commanding officer of the 79th IB, allowed the militants access to his camp. For security purposes, the left-wing activists were not allowed to enter the armory and other areas with tactical value.
"This is to show that the AFP is sincere and that it is not involved in the killings (of activists)," Capt. Lowen Gil Marquez of the 6th Civil Relations Group.
"They are always welcome to our camps," he said, adding that the militants can even enter the barracks and other quarters.
Marquez said that the militants are also eyeing the camp of 12th IB in nearby Miag-ao town under Col. Michelin Logronio.
These, he said, are the military camps within the area where Arado and Dominado were abducted, and where Garachico was shot.
Police have no suspects yet on the incident.
They have yet to talk to Garachico on the suspects' description.
Provincial police director, Sr. Supt. Melvin Mongcal said that they have no information on the whereabouts of Arado and Dominado, nor on the identity of Garachico's shooter.
All police chiefs in the province have been alerted, Mongcal said.