A human rights group in the Cordillera region denounced the military for allegedly using civilians in a spate of encounters in Abra province against the New People’s Army (NPA).

The group, in a statement, said that 24 civilians in Lacub, Abra were coerced and used as human shield by the 41st Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army on September 5.

According to the Cordillera Human Rights Alliance (CHRA), civilian Noel Viste was part of the 24 allegedly coerced by the military as human shield in the conduct of their operation.

Viste died during the encounters and was brought by a military helicopter in Barbarit, Lagangilang, Abra.

Another civilian, Nicasio Asbukan was turned over to the local police in Lacub, but was in  a state of shock.

Civilian Fidela Salvador, an engineer by profession, was also killed, purportedly during the time of the military operations.

As of this writing, it had not been established if Salvador was among the 24 used as human shield by the military or if she was killed in a separate incident.

CHRA insisted that Salvador and Viste were not NPA combatants but civilians.

Salvador was a staff member of the Center for Development Programs in the Cordillera (CPDC) and Cordillera Disaster Response and Development Services (CorDis-RDS), according to Audrey Beltran, secretary general of CHRA.

“Engr. Delle (Salvador’s nickname) was on a monitoring visit for various socio-economic projects implemented by CORDIS in Lacub when she was killed. Engr. Delle is a civilian and a non-combatant. She dedicated most of her life, skills and expertise in bringing much-needed services to the neglected, far-flung communities in the Cordillera. She was a staunch advocate of indigenous peoples’ rights, (and) a strong believer in peace and human rights,” stated Beltran.

In news reports, military officials claimed that least five NPA combatants were killed, one of them a certain Arnold Jaramillo allegedly the secretary of the Abra Provincial Party Committee and several others.  The military also recovered several high powered firearms.

The initial encounter happened on September 4, according to the military. After that, government troops and guerrillas supposedly had another encounter the next day.

CHRA said that the 41st IB and the Northern Luzon Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines should be accountable for the killings of Salvador and  Viste, as they call for a stop to the military operations in Abra, beacause civilian communities suffer most during their operations.

“We continue to appeal to the local government units and government officials of Abra to call for a stop to the military operations and pullout of the 41st IB in Abra and troops of the Northern Luzon Command. We appeal to everyone who believe in peace, in human rights and life to support these calls,” said Beltran.