Gabriela: 2 female NGO workers molested by military

http://www.malaya.com.ph/nov14/metro5.htm

Malaya

• NEWS ROUNDUP •

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Gabriela: 2 female NGO workers molested by military

THE women’s group Gabriela yesterday said Lourilie
Naiz, 22, and Mary Bernadette Solitario, 21,
women-workers of a non-government organization in
North Cotabato were sexually molested by their alleged
military abductors, plainclothes men armed with .45
caliber pistols.

Both Naiz and Solitario are staff of Disaster Response
Center (Direct), a community-based disaster management
institution. Naiz is field officer in charge of the
group’s socio-economic programs for internally
displaced peasant families, while Solitario is one of
Direct’s literacy-numeracy teachers. Both were accused
of being members of the New People’s Army (NPA) and
snatched last Nov. 4 in Tulunan town.

"Naiz and Solitario were forced to get inside a
pick-up truck, which also did not have a plate number,
and were brought to Camp Sumabat of the 39th Infantry
Battalion in Makilala, North Cotabato. The motorcycle
followed the pick-up truck but turned left and entered
the 27th IB Camp at Barangay New Panay, Tulunan,"
Gabriela said.

The women’s group said the victims were blindfolded,
detained in separate rooms and interrogated without
the presence of a lawyer. Solitario was accused of
having a hand grenade in her bag and taking part in
the Makilala bombings last Oct. 10 while Naiz was
threatened with being buried alive if she will not
admit membership with the NPA and her participation in
an attack against a detachment on Nov. 1.

Gabriela said the two victims were forced to take off
their clothes while blindfolded. "After an hour,
Lourilie was transferred to another place about 15
minutes travel from the camp and again, she was
interrogated. Bernadette was informed that Lourilie
was already buried and was threatened to be the next
if she will not admit to being an NPA member," the
group said.

The two met again in the afternoon, were brought to a
physician for medical check-up, and were turned over
to the Tulunan Police at around 8 pm. A certain George
Reyes of the ISAFP signed the PNP logbook. – Reinir
Padua



GABRIELA Philippines
35 Sct. Delgado St, Brgy. Laging Handa
Quezon City, 1103 Philippines
TeleFax: (632) 374 44 23
E-mail: internationalrelations@gabrielaphilippines.org

GABRIELA is a grassroots-based alliance of more than 200 women's
organizations, institutions, desks and programs in the Philippines. We seek
to wage a struggle for the liberation of women and the rest of our
people.