TACLOBAN, Philippines, 23 August 2004 — Several families from interior villages of Samar Island in the central Philippines need government help following atrocities they have been subjected to by army soldiers, provincial officials have said.

Gov. Milagrosa “Mila” Tan said the provincial board in Catbalogan, the capital of Samar province, has approved a resolution authorizing her office to provide legal and financial assistance to 22 farmers allegedly victimized by military operations in barangays San Miguel, Sto. Ni?o and Barayong of Jiabong and San Jorge towns.

According to the resolution signed by Vice Governor Jesus Redaja as presiding officer of the provincial board, the farmers, including three children, were either abducted or arrest and detained illegally.

The farmers also complained of farms being destroyed during a series of military operations the Philippine Army’s 8th Infantry Division in their communities against communist New People’s Army (NPA) guerrillas from June 27 until July 5.

Samar Island, located in the eastern side of the central Philippines, is one of the most-depressed places in the Philippines, making it a hotbed of insurgency.

The complainants claimed that some farmers remained missing.

They identified the army units involved in the alleged atrocities as the 34th Infantry Battalion stationed in San Jorge, 52nd Infantry Battalion and the 7th Scout Rangers Company.

“The victims have suffered so much and indemnification of days work lost in their farms and rehabilitation of destroyed crops in their respective farms,” board member Concepcion de Luna said during a recent committee hearing in Catbalogan.

“Some of our friends were still missing,” a 13-year-old boy told this writer right after the hearing.

The provincial board reminded the military units in the island to observe the Protocol II of the Comprehensive Agreement of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CAHRIHL).

“Based on their signed affidavits, there was (indeed) a clear violation of the Protocol II of the CAHRIHL (on the part of the involved men in uniform),” Vice Governor Redaja said.

Earlier, the military released a press statement in Catbalogan, and to the city of Tacloban and Calbayog denying charges of militarization and human rights violations.