‘Allegations of sexual abuse meant to discredit military’

The allegations that female health workers detained at a military camp in Rizal province east of Metro Manila were sexually abused were meant to cast doubts on the military’s credibility, an Armed Forces general said on Monday. Maj. Gen. Jorge Segovia, head of the 2nd Infantry Division based in Tanay, Rizal, denied that his men committed any form of abuse and torture on the detainees arrested last February 6 on suspicion of being New People’s Army (NPA) rebels. "We don’t expect them to praise the military’s arrest of these workers. They will try to discredit the military and its successful operation," Segovia said in Filipino in an interview on dzBB radio. On Monday, a report from The Philippine Daily Inquirer quoted Ofelia Beltran Balleta as saying that her daughter, Jane, disclosed she and other detainees were abused when soldiers took them to a comfort room and touched their private parts. Ofelia is the daughter of the late Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran. In the radio interview, however, Segovia denied any incident and insisted that female detainees have female military custodians assisting them. Segovia likewise said the military has proof that Jane Balleta is an NPA member. "This Jane Balleta was based in Central Luzon, but was moved to Samar as a political officer," Segovia said. By their own admission? The military general also claimed that a certain Valentino Paulino already admitted being an NPA member. Segovia added that about three or four other workers have asked to be placed under the government’s social integration program. The program, which aims to lure insurgents back into the fold of the law, is being implemented by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process. Segovia’s claim came amid repeated denials by the detainees’ relatives and medical groups that the 43 health workers were not part of the communist group. The workers, 26 females and 17 males, were arrested in a farmhouse in Morong, Rizal. They were later brought to Camp Capinpin in Tanay town, where they are being detained until now. The workers, who were accused of attending a training on making explosives, would face the Court of Appeals hearing later in the day. Last week, the Supreme Court issued a writ of habeas corpus and ordered the military to present the workers before the appellate court. [See: SC to AFP: Present 43 health workers in court] The AFP initially failed to comply with the court order, citing security reasons. It then assured that it would bring the workers before the CA hearing on Monday afternoon. Gabriela’s looming action For its part, women’s group Gabriela said it would launch “an international campaign" against the military’s alleged illegal arrest and detention of the workers and the alleged physical and sexual abuse of the detainees. Segovia, however, said it was ready to face the protests and the public backlash stemming from the arrest of the so-called Morong 43. "If the presumption of innocence applies to the workers, the same presumption should also apply to the military. My soldiers were only doing their duties," Segovia said. "Just because we are being accused by the enemies of the government, it does not have to mean that we are already guilty," he added. - RSJ, GMANews.TV