MikeLigalig.com

A 34-year old mother from the hinterlands of Sta. Catalina in south Negros Oriental on Tuesday filed a complaint at the town police station against five suspected members of the militant human rights group, Karapatan, for allegedly taking her son with them without the parents’ permission.

The group, two of whom were identified as a certain John Alforque and another only by the name of Maben, and three “John Does”, allegedly took her 13-year old son with them Monday afternoon as a guide to the house of a certain Erning Bendanillo.

Rochelle Langcoyan Coconon, of Sitio Subo in Barangay Nagbinlod, Sta. Catalina, said she was attending a dialogue between government troops of the 79th Infantry Battalion and residents of the said sub-village when the incident happened.

According to Coconon, while the meeting was underway about an hour later, at least five young men, believed to be members of the Karapatan arrived at the gathering and were hanging around just listening to the meeting, but nobody paid attention to them.

The group left shortly before the meeting ended around 4 p.m., said Coconon.

Coconon said that when she reached their house shortly thereafter, she found out from her other son that the younger brother was allegedly forced to guide the same group that was spotted earlier at the meeting. - PNA