76th IB uses ATL to arrest 4 farmers in Occidental Mindoro
Elements of the 76th Infantry Battalion arrested four farmers in Sitio Buscad, Barangay Tuban, Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro on July 18. They were identified as Miguel Domingo Manguerra, Fe Serna Mariñas, Sherlito Casidsid and Allen Dela Fuente.
The victims were slapped with charges under the controversial Anti-terrorism Law (ATL) for allegedly “protecting” New People’s Army combatants. Their families belied and condemned these allegations.
Human rights group Karapatan reported that they were all charged for allegedly providing material support to “terrorists” and for being an accessory to “terrorism.”
Additionally, Manguerra and Mariñas were charged with illegal possession of firearms and explosives after troops planted an improvised shotgun and anti-personnel mine at the fence of their house. Casidsid and Dela Fuente were also charged with obstruction of justice. The arrest warrants were issued by the San Jose Regional Trial Court.
The arrest came just few days after a local court in Olongapo junked a similar case against Aetas who were charged with violating the ATL. They were the third group of individuals to have been slapped with the same charge.