August 15, 2000, The Philippine Star, Solons seek probe of cult clash,

August 15, 2000, The Philippine Star, Solons seek probe of cult clash, 

Opposition leaders in the House of Representatives batted yesterday for a congressional inquiry into last Friday's massacre of 16 members of the religious cult Tadtad in Bukidnon.

House Minority Leader Feliciano Belmonte Jr. (Lakas, Quezon City) warned that the bloody incident may be repeated if authorities did not take it seriously.

"It's not just worrisome, but frightening. We may start to take these things for granted... that it is a part of life. So if no investigation has been done, we'll call for it," Belmonte said.

The 16 followers of the Catholic God's Spirit religious sect in a remote village in Pangantocan town in Bukidnon were shot dead by members of a composite group of soldiers, policemen and militiamen trying to serve a warrant of arrest on one of the cultists.

However, the cultists, armed with bolos and improvised guns, resisted, resulting in heavy fighting.

Belmonte said there is "inherent danger" in employing ill-trained militiamen under the government's Civilian Armed Force Geographical Unit (CAFGU).

"This is really a question of lack of training showed in the lack of restraint," Belmonte noted.

Lakas Rep. Ignacio Bunye of Muntinlupa City said the government was courting disaster when it released funds for the CAFGUs.

Bunye said improper recruitment, training and supervision are sure-fire formula for disaster.

For his part, Isabela Rep. Heherson Alvarez said the deployment of CAFGUs is a case where "the cure is worse than the disaster.

The Estrada administration intends to recruit 30,000 additional militiamen under the CAFGU to help combat insurgency.

Alvarez also warned that pushing through the plan would only worsen the Mindanao secessionist uprising.

Belmonte said with little restraint and proper training on the handling of guns, the CAFGUs could have prevented the massacre.

However, the military defended the slaying of the Tadtad cultists by saying it was a case of self-defense.

"The civilian volunteers (who were) with the police tried to implement a lawful arrest, but they were forced to do what they did because of the assault by the Tadtad cultists," said Brig. Gen. Generosa Senga, spokesman of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Philippine National Police spokesman Senior Superintendent Nicanor Bartolome also claimed the warrant servers strictly observed the rules of engagement.

Resenting the arrest of Roberto Madrina, the cultists reportedly attacked the lawmen and the CAFGUs from all sides, killing three militiamen and a volunteer guide.

Reports reaching Camp Crame also said the cultists were able to take two Garand rifles from the lawmen.

"There was treachery on the side of the cultists. Our men were trapped. They had to defend themselves," Bartolome said.

"The situation is quite different when you are on the ground. You see your comrades falling one by one beside you. You will eventually get the feeling that you will be next. It now becomes a kill or get killed situation. They (lawmen) had to defend themselves," Bartolome said. -- Liberty Dones, Mike Frialde, Paolo Romero