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CEBU CITY, Philippines - Her loved ones and former teachers in Cebu lamented the end of a promising career in public service.
The family of Rachelle Mae Palang, who passed the Nursing licensure exams last June, was still in shock over the military's claim that she was among communist rebels who clashed with army soldiers in Dauin town, Negros Oriental province last week.
Provincial Board Member Victor Maambong, a family friend, is asking the Commission on Human Rights in Central Visayas (CHR-7) to investigate the circumstances that led to the death of Rachelle.
In a Provincial Board resolution passed on Monday, Maambong said that even if Rachelle's group was armed and recruiting members as claimed by the military, it was not an excuse to disregard rules of engagement.
Rachelle was one of three persons killed following a 45-minute clash with 79th Infantry Battalion (IB) soldiers in Barangay (village) Malungkay-Daku, Dauin on September 18.
Two other fatalities were identified by the military as Federico Villalongha reportedly from Bohol province and Gerry Cabangay of Cebu City.
Rachelle's father, former Consolacion municipal councilor Elenito Palang, said his 21-year-old daughter had sought his permission to go on a medical mission.
He didn't say when Rachelle left Cebu.
“Ang ako lang nga nananghid ang akong anak nnga mag-medical mission. Mao ra na'y akong ikasulti karon (She asked permission to go on a medical mission. That is all I want to say for now),” Palang said over radio dyLA.
He called up the radio station yesterday to clarify the earlier statement of Lt. Col. Bernard Neri, chief of the 79th IB based in Negros Oriental, who claimed that soldiers found Rachelle carrying an M16 rifle.
Elenito said he read about Neri's allegation it in Cebu Daily News on Monday morning.
He said that when he claimed the body of Rachelle Mae in Clarin Memorial Homes in Dumaguete City last Sunday, a military official whom he identified as Colonel Yano told him that no firearm was recovered from his daughter's possession.
“Mura man gud og daghan nang nangutana kay gibutang man nga nagdala kono og armas ang akong anak. Mura'g lain paminawon ba nga ingnon nga nagdala og armas ug murag maka-trigger og laing hunahuna (A lot of questions were raised with the allegations that my daughter was bringing a firearm. It sounds bad to hear others say my daughter brought a firearm),” Elenito said.
Asked if he believed that Rachelle had joined the communist insurgency, he said he could not conclude that. The family is still in shock and in mourning, he added.
“Di ko katubag ana sa pagkakaron kay ako pang tan-awon ang detalye, pero ang amo nia pa mi sa kasubo unya lisod na kung amo pang dugangan (I cannot answer that yet because I still have to look at the details but for us, we are still grieving and it is difficult if we aggravate this),” Elenito said.
Rachelle's remains were cremated on Monday in Cebu City.
Elenito said his daughter's ashes would be brought to their home on North Road, Poblacion, Consolacion town where nightly prayers and Mass will be offered.
His brother, Bishop Tony Palang, is coming home to Cebu where they family willl later bury the ashes in the cemetery.
Lieutenant Colonel Neri insisted the encounter in Dauin was a “legitimate operation” against communist rebels. He said it was just unfortunate that one of the fatalities was a daughter of a former councilor.
Lieutenant General Pedro Inserto, head of the Armed Forces Central Command, commended his men's action in the military's campaign against insurgency.
