In an interview with ABS-CBN News earlier today, Zia Alonto Adiong, spokesman of the provincial crisis management committee, denied claims that a woman was forced to remove her clothes in an evacuation shelter.
According to a report in the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Samira Gutoc-Tomawis shared the story of a woman who was forced to take off her clothes at an evacuation center with the senate last week, testifying that human rights abuses were happening under martial law.
She also cited the case of 20-year-old Abdul Halim, who suffers from a mentaly disability.
She told senators that Halim was “psychologically tortured” by uniformed men and was coerced into admitting he was a member of the Maute group, the terrorists who have been locked in a deadly battle with Philippine military since late May.
“On the second week of the crisis, Abdul Halim, a special child or a mental retard, 20 years old, was brought to Lanao rescue team by the mother. The mother claims his hand was scalded by hot water after being found in Saduk area of Marawi. He was psychologically interrogated if Maute siya. We have photos, Senator Poe, your honors, on these,” Gutoc said.
Samira Gutoc-Tomawis, one of the conveners of the Ranao Rescue Team, made the revelation to Congress on Saturday as lawmakers voted to extend martial law in the south until the end of the year.
Gutoc was also a member of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission, the commission responsible for drafting the law creating of an autonomous Muslim region in Mindanao. She resigned last May after President Rodrigo Duterte joked about allowing soldiers to rape “up to three women.”
While Adiong denied that women were subjected to strip searches, he encouraged the public to report allegations of human rights abuse to authorities.
“This martial law does not mean that we should not listen to the people. It should be the other way around because martial law is only for the purpose of prevailing over the enemy and securing the entire Marawi City,” he said.
with reports from ABS-CBN News
Reader Interactions