Army’s 56th IB commander suspended MANILA, Philippines—A battalion commander whose command has been linked to the April 28 abduction of activist Jonas Joseph Burgos has been administratively suspended by Philippine Army chief Lt. Gen. Romeo Tolentino.
Army spokesperson Lt. Col. Ernesto Torres Jr. said the suspension of Lt. Col. Melquiades Feliciano, the commander of the Army’s 56th Infantry Battalion based in Norzagaray, Bulacan, is meant to ensure a “speedy and impartial” investigation into Burgos’ disappearance.
Torres said the suspension will take effect immediately after the elections.
At the same time, Tolentino ordered Army field commanders to deposit the license plates of all impounded vehicles, including unserviceable army-owned vehicles, to the command provost marshal or logistic officers of their respective units.
Tolentino said this would ensure that impounded vehicles, including their license plates, are secured in order to prevent these from being used in any illegal activity.
Commanders were also directed to immediately conduct an inventory of all impounded vehicles and report all missing license plates to concerned agencies.
The Army’s 56th IB was linked to the abduction after the license plates of a Toyota Revo where Burgos was forcibly taken to were traced to a jeep seized in 2006 by a joint team from the Army and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. The jeep has been parked since then inside the Army’s camp in Bulacan.
In Iloilo City, Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez has asked the Philippine Army to “explain” its role in Burgos’ disappearance, saying Malacañang was being “unfairly” linked to the April 28 abduction.
“The Army must explain that,” Gonzalez told reporters covering Team Unity’s “miting de avance” here Thursday night. “We don’t condone these things.”
He said the Army must issue a public statement, and conduct an impartial inquiry.
Command responsibility
“At least the commanding officer in the area (should explain) because again what will follow there is the issue of command responsibility,” he said, stressing that the justice department’s hands were tied “because the start of any investigation is the police.”
The military had denied any role in the abduction.
Feliciano maintained that settlers, belonging to urban poor group Kadamay, living behind the camp had stolen the license plates.
He said Kadamay was organized by the Communist Party of the Philippines.
Investigation into the abduction has so far proceeded at a snail’s pace. With reports from Tonette Orejas, Inquirer Central Luzon, Volt Contreras and DJ Yap
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