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FORWARDED APPEAL (Philippines): Forcible disappearance of seven activists in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, Visayas
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URGENT ACTION URGENT ACTION URGENT ACTION URGENT ACTION ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION - URGENT APPEALS PROGRAMME Forwarded appeal on 7 October 2005 PHILIPPINES: Illegal arrest and detention; disappearance; rule of law Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is forwarding an appeal from \KARAPATAN (Alliance for the Advancement of People's Rights), a human rights organization in Manila, Philippines, regarding the disappearance of seven human rights activists, four of whom are peasants in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, Visayas on 30 September 2005. The victims have yet to be found after they were illegally arrested and detained by elements of the Alpha Company, 12th Infantry Battalion (IB), Philippine Army, led by 1Lt. Sandy Labrador and 1Lt. Christopher Belardo. This is yet another incident of violence against activists in the Philippines. We call on you for your strong intervention in this matter. Please write letters to the Philippine government, in particular the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) to have the alleged perpetrators investigated and prosecuted, if found to have committed such an offence. They must produce the victims without delay, and allow them to return to their families. Please also ask the Philippine government to consider as a priority the enactment of a proposed bill in Congress criminalizing disappearance - House Bill 1556, an act defining and criminalizing the crime of enforced or involuntary disappearances. If your have further questions, please contact KARAPATAN. Urgent Appeals Desk Dear friends, On the same day Vicky Samonte, KMU leader from the Caraga region in Mindanao was killed, seven (7) persons, four of which are peasants were abducted and are now missing in Negros Occidental. We are sending you this urgent action to help pressure the arroyo government to order the armed forces of the Philippines to release them and return them to their families. Thank you for your support and immediate response. In solidarity, KARAPATAN-National Office UA Date: 04 October 2005 UA Title: Peasant organizers & several others missing in Negros Occidental, Philippines UA Case: Arbitrary Arrest, Arbitrary Detention, Enforced Disappearance, Physical Assault, Illegal Search and Seizure, Divestment of Property and Threat, Harassment Victim/s: Marilou H. Villanueva Abraham D. Villanueva Charity A. Villar Morito Dionson Darry P. Dayanan Rico B. Abrasaldo Jeremie A. Gellegan * KMP - Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas or Peasant Movement of the Place of Incident: About 50 meters away from Alpha Coy Detachment 12th Date of Incident: 30 September 2005 around 9:00 PM Perpetrators: Elements of the Alpha Coy 12th Infantry Battalion led by 1st Account of Incident: At around 9:00 pm of 30 September 2005, while on board a rented Tamaraw FX, seven (7) persons composed of four (4) *KMP members and organizers, a Teatro Obrero organizer, the FX driver and his assistant, were stopped by elements of Alpha Company 12th IB in a checkpoint situated in the highway of Barangay. Camingawan, Kabankalan City. The *KMP organizers just came from a meeting at Dumaguete City and were on their way to Bacolod City during the incident. Military elements wearing camouflage, which did not identify themselves commanded those on board the FX cab to alight and immediately lined them up. The victims then noticed a nearby-parked dirty white van, with about six (6) armed elements wearing civilian clothes and wearing bonnets inside. They immediately separated Morito Dionson from the group, loaded him in the dirty white van and sped off to an undetermined destination. Those who were left behind protested and created noise to attract the attention of passing commuters; however, military elements who manned the checkpoint pointed their guns at them, blindfolded them and forced them to lie on the ground. They were again subjected to interrogation lasting to an hour, while the army took possession of their personal belongings including six (6) cellphones, clothes, two (2) computer laptops, Sanyo LCD projector, cash of about P8,000, a packed sugar worth P500, personal effects and papers. The six victims were then detained overnight at the Alpha Company detachment situated just about 50 meters away from said checkpoint. They were handcuffed, threatened, and denied of food, rest and medical attention. 01 October 2005 At around 1:00p.m., Col. Leo Jogy Fojas said over a radio interview, aired before RGMA, that they found two (2) .45 caliber pistol inside the FX van. However at around 1:10 p.m. an Army officer identified as 1st Lt. Christopher Belardo presented before the PNP Kabankalan desk officer a handwritten blotter report and a Colt caliber super .38 with serial # 77418 as evidence against the arrested six. The blotter report indicated that the firearm was recovered during the checkpoint and found below the driver's seat. At past 3:00 p.m., the army forcibly took the six (6) victims upon orders of their higher command despite the resistance and protest of the representing lawyer, KMP and September 21 Movement supporters. When asked about their destination, the army relayed that they will be brought to the 61st Infantry Battalion headquarters at Tiling Cauayan. However, the six (6) were instead brought to Haba Military detachment in Candoni. Dionson could not be located until now, KARAPATAN-Negros had checked on the 303rd Brigade in Minoyan Murcia but Maj. Taladua denied any idea regarding the whereabouts of Dionson. 02 October 2005 Upon learning that the six (6) victims were not there, the group of September 21 movement, KMP-Negros leaders and families of the victims went back to the 61st IBPA detachment at Tiling, Cauayan. At the Tiling, Cauayan detachment, again the group were informed by Master Sgt. Visto and Master Sgt. Guza that the six (6) victims were brought to Negros Occidental Provincial Police Office (NOPPO), in Bacolod City. Immediately the Families and members of Karapatan-Negros then proceeded to NOPPO but unfortunately, the officer-in-charge denied the presence of the victims. As of this time, the all seven (7) arrested are still missing. RECOMMENDED ACTION: Send letters, emails or fax messages calling for: 1. The immediate formation of an independent fact-finding and investigation team composed of representatives from human rights groups, the Church, local government, and the Commission on Human Rights that will look into the enforced disappearance of Marilou H. Villanueva, Abraham D. Villanueva, Charity A. Villar, Morito Dionson, Darry P. Dayanan, Rico B. Abrasaldo and Jeremie A. Gellegan; 2. The arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators of the crimes of Arbitrary Arrest, Arbitrary Detention, Enforced Disappearance, Physical Assault,Illegal Search and Seizure, Divestment of Property and Threat, Harassment and Intimidation; 3. The immediate and proper indemnification of the family/relatives of the victims; and 4. The Philippine Government to be reminded that it is a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and that it is also a party to all the major Human Rights instruments, thus it is bound to observe all of its provisions. You may send your communications to: H.E. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Hon. Rene Sarmiento Hon. Avelino Cruz Hon. Purificacion Valera Quisumbing
URGENT ACTION Prepared by: KARAPATAN (Alliance for the Advancement of People's Rights)-National Office ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Thank you. Urgent Appeals Programme Posted on 2005-10-07
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Asian Human Rights Commission