Urgent Alert « New York Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines

Thirteen (13) residents of Compostela Valley, Philippines tortured and illegally arrested by soldiers

UA No: 2010-03-06

UA Date : 27 March 2010

UA Case : Torture, Illegal Arrest and Detention, Physical Assault,

Threat/Harassment/Intimidation

Victim/s : Boicy P. Villaniso, 23, farmer and small scale logger

Roy P. Villaniso, 20, farmer and small scale logger

Emilio P. Villaniso, 18, farmer and small scale logger

Mary Jane O. Yurong, 23, farmer and small scale logger

Junrex A. Linantod, 21, farmer and small scale logger

Francisco A. Linantod, 19, farmer and small scale logger

Christina J. Arances, 15, farmer and small scale logger

Victim/s : Alfonso B. Manggubat, 45, farmer and chain saw operator

Baden V. Manggubat, 37, farmer and small scale logger

Edmund Q. Cutor, 19, farmer and small scale logger

Nilo K. Sinao, 48, farmer and small scale logger

Anastacia P. Villaniso, 59, farmer and small scale logger

Mary Grace P. Villaniso, 15, farmer and small scale logger

Place of Incident : Kalabirahan, Brgy. Ulip, Monkayo, Compostela Valley

Date of Incident : March 7-11, 2010

Alleged Perpetrator(s): around 60 combined elements of the 25^th IB-PA and Scout Rangers

led by 1^st Lt. Soreno and Lt. Col. Gilbert Saret

Account of the Incident:

There was allegedly an encounter between the military and the New People’s Army (NPA) in Brgy. Salvacion in Monkayo, Compostela Valley on March 5, 2010. Two days after the said incident, on March 7, at around 11:00 AM, brothers Boicy, Roy and Emilio Villaniso, Mary Jane Yurong (Boicy’s common-law wife), brothers Junrex and Franciso Linantod, and Christina Arances (common-law wife of Francisco) were at Sitio Kalabirahan, Brgy. Upper to cut some trees and work on their farms. As they were preparing to go home, they saw around 30 soldiers coming their way. The soldiers accused them of being members of the New People’s Army (NPA), ordered them to go out of the hut and assembled them in the yard. The soldiers ransacked the hut allegedly to look for firearms. The said farmers were separated from each other, interrogated and tortured.

Boicy was forced to eat newly cooked and very hot sweet potato. He was hit by the butt of a rifle on his forehead and abdomen. His fingertips were pummeled by a steel pot, hit by a rattan cane in the nape and was made to wear the pot over his head. Roy’s head was wrapped with plastic. He was hit twice in the stomach with the butt of a rifle. His fingertips were likewise pummeled with the steel pot. His interrogator took his bolo and pressed it against his neck and shoulder. He was made to squat while carrying pots loaded with stones on outstretched arms. Emilio was also made to squat while a soldier hit him repeatedly in the stomach with a piece of wood. He was hit by the butt of a rifle in the nape. His fingertips too were thumped with a steel pot. He was lifted by his interrogator and threatened to be dropped head first if he won’t admit he’s an NPA. Junrex’s head too was wrapped in plastic. He was choked and hit in the stomach with a piece of wood. His fingertips were thumped with a stone and he was made to squat carrying stones on both hands with arms outstretched. Then his interrogator kicked him in the shin and aimed a rifle at him. He was repeatedly banged against the door to force him to admit that he is an NPA. Two soldiers ganged up on Christina, who was intimidated and threatened to admit that she is a member of the underground movement. They were forcing her to divulge where the guns were allegedly hidden and to admit that she is a medic of the NPA. She was threatened to be buried together with the others if she denied the accusations.

At around 12:00 noon of the same day, the Villaniso’s sister Baden was with her husband Alfonso Mangubat cutting trees a kilometer away from where her brothers were. With them were her daughter Mary Grace, widowed mother Anastacia, Edmund Cutor and Nilo Sinao. They were all preparing to leave when another group of about 30 soldiers stumbled upon them. The soldiers ordered them to stay put, they agreed out of fear. Then they started questioning them on the whereabouts on the NPA and where they buried the guns. They told them that they did not know where the NPAs are and that they they don’t have guns. The soldiers did not believe them. They were ordered to follow the soldiers to the hilly part of the place about a kilometer away from the hut. Nilo was left behind. When they arrived at the place, they were separated from each other and were subjected to intense interrogation. They were accused of being members of the underground movement which they all denied. Then they were brought back to the hut. The soldiers told them to stay overnight. Again they the acceded out of fear.

At 6:00 AM, on March 8 after breakfast, Baden and his companions decided to head for home. The soldiers accompanied them because purportedly they were going in the same direction. Baden noticed that the soldiers encircled them as they walked. When they arrived at the crossing of Kalabirahan, they saw the group of soldiers detaining Boicy and the others. The two groups merged and instead of allowing them to go home, they were brought by the soldiers to one of their detachments in Sitio Depot. At 10:00 PM, they were boarded on a 6×6 truck and brought to the 25^th IBPA barracks in Poblacion, Monkayo.

They arrived there at around 11:30 PM. From the time they arrived until 2:00 AM the next day, March 9, the victims were once again subjected to intense interrogation and some were again physically tortured. They were photographed holding signs with their alleged position in the underground movement written on them. They were made to sign documents which they did not understand and were not explained to them. Edmund and Francisco who were spared from physical torture on the first day were now subjected to it. Francisco was not hurt by the soldiers the previous day. One of the soldiers promised to help him become a CAFGU and to send Christina, his live-in partner to school. But in the barracks, that same soldier choked and hit him in the stomach. Edmund was taken out of his cell and was brought behind the building. His interrogator tied both of his hands behind him and choked him as they repeatedly hit his stomach forcing him to admit his involvement with the underground movement. Because of the intensity of the torture, Edmund soiled himself. He was then brought back to his cell and was not immediately allowed to wash himself. He endured his condition until the following day where he was given a pair of underwear and tattered short pants to change. They then applied hot compress to his stomach to lighten the bruises.

On March 10, at around 7:00 AM, after two days of detention in the barracks, the soldiers brought them to the Monkayo Police station and turned them over to the police. But the soldiers remained in the vicinity to harass and intimidate the relatives and the human rights workers from coming near the victims. In the police station, the victims were once again photographed holding signs, but this time, the signs had their names and alleged crimes. The victims’ fingerprints were taken and they were made to sign blank sheet of paper. They were detained overnight. Two minors were placed together in the same cell.

At around 9:00 AM, the following day, relatives of the victims were finally given the chance to see the victims. The visit was facilitated by the parish priest of the locality. At around 11:00 AM, the police and soldiers brought the eleven (11) adults to the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office in Nabunturan, Compostela Valley for inquest. Mary Grace and Christina were turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). The eleven (11) were charged with Frustrated Multiple Murder, Murder and violation of the COMELEC gun ban. The victims’ counsel questioned the illegality of the arrest because it exceeded the allowable number of hours to detain individuals before they are formally charged of their offense. The prosecutor concurred and ordered the release of the victims at 4:00 PM. The two minors were also released to their family by the DSWD.

Recommended Action:

Send letters, emails or fax messages calling for:

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 torture, illegal arrest and detention and threat/harassment/intimidation of Boicy P. Villaniso, Roy P. Villaniso, Emilio P. Villaniso, Mary Jane O. Yurong, Junrex A. Linantod, Francisco A. Linantod, Christina J. Arances, Alfonso B. Manggubat, Baden V. Manggubat, Edmund Q. Cutor, Nilo K. Sinao, Anastacia P. Villaniso, Mary Grace P. Villaniso .
The military to stop the labeling and targeting of human rights defenders as “members of front organizations of the communists” and “enemies of the state.”
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 these instruments’ provisions.

You may send your communications to:

H.E. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo

President of the Republic

Malacañang Palace,

JP Laurel St., San Miguel

Manila Philippines

Voice: (+632) 564 1451 to 80

Fax: (+632) 742-1641 / 929-3968

Cell#: (+ 63) 919 898 4622 / (+63) 917 839 8462

E-mail: corres@op.gov.ph / opnet@ops.gov.ph

Sec. Annabelle T. Abaya

Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process

Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP)

7th Floor Agustin Building I

Emerald Avenue

Pasig City 1605

Voice:+63 (2) 636 0701 to 066

Fax:+63 (2) 638 2216

osec@opapp.gov.ph

Sec. Norberto B. Gonzales

Secretary, Department of National Defense

Room 301 DND Building, Camp Emilio Aguinaldo,

E. de los Santos Avenue, Quezon City

Voice:+63(2) 911-9281 / 911-0488

Fax:+63(2) 911 6213

Email: osnd@philonline.com

Atty. Agnes Devanadera

Secretary, Department of Justice

Padre Faura St., Manila

Direct Line 521-8344; 5213721

Trunkline 523-84-81 loc.214

Fax: (+632) 521-1614

Email: soj@doj.gov.ph

Atty. Leila De Lima

Chairperson, Commission on Human Rights

SAAC Bldg., UP Complex

Commonwealth Avenue

Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines

Voice: (+632) 928-5655, 926-6188

Fax: (+632) 929 0102

Email: chr.delima@yahoo.com

Please send us a copy of your email/mail/fax to the above-named government officials, to our address below.

URGENT ACTION Prepared by:

KARAPATAN (Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights)

National Office

2/F Erythrina Bldg., #1 Maaralin cor Matatag Sts., Brgy. Central, Diliman, Quezon City 1100 PHILIPPINES

Voice/Fax: (+632) 435 4146

Email: urgentaction@karapatan.org

Website: www.karapatan.org

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Health workers, including the wife of Karapatan Deputy Secretary General,

illegally arrested in military raid in Rizal province, Philippines

UA No: 2010-02-01

(Initial report)

UA Date : 06 February 2010

UA Case : Violation of Domicile; Destruction of property;Divestment of Property; Illegal Search and Seizure; Illegal Arrest; Illegal Detention; Threat, Harassment and Intimidation, Fear for Safety

Victim/s :

Illegally Arrested and illegally detained (partial list)

Dr. Merry Mia, Health Education and Training Services coordinator for Council for Health and Development (CHD)
Dr. Alexis Montes
Gary Liberal, Registered Nurse (Jose Reyes Medical Memorial Center)
Teresa Quinawayan, Midwife
Lydia Ubera, health worker
Reynaldo Makabenta, health worker
Delia Ocasla, health worker
Jane Balleta, health worker
Janice Javier, health worker
Franco Remoroso, health worker
Ailene Monasteryo, health worker
Pearl Irene Martinez, health worker
Elen Carandang, health worker
Dany Panero, health worker
Rayom Among, health worker
Emily Marquez, health worker

Threat, harassment and intimidation; Violation of domicile

Dr. Melecia Velmonte
Bob Velmonte
Bernardo Landag
Two caretakers

Place of Incident : Residential compound of Dr. Melecia Velmonte in Bgy. Maybangcal,

Morong, Rizal

Date of Incident : 06 February 2010

Alleged Perpetrator(s): Joint elements of the 202^nd Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army (202^nd

IBPA), and Rizal Philippine National Police (PNP) headed by Colonel Aurelio Baladad, commander of the 202nd Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army based in Tanay, Rizal and Police Superintendent Marion Balonglong of the Rizal PNP.

Account of the Incident:

On February 1, around 40 medical practitioners and health workers participated in a First Responders Training, sponsored by the Community Medicine Foundation, Inc. (COMMED) and Council for Health and Development (CHD) at Dr. Melecia Velmonte’s Farm, a conference and training facility in Morong, Rizal.

Dr. Velmonte is a renowned and respected infectious disease specialist and a consultant at the Philippine General Hospital. Her farm is a regular venue of health trainings, with participants coming from both the communities and the academe.

According to initial reports gathered by Karapatan, at 6:15 am on February 6, 2010, around 300 heavily armed elements of the military and police forced their way into the farm of Dr. Melecia Velmonte in Bgy. Maybangcal, Morong, Rizal. At gunpoint, the military forced the caretaker to open the gates. Inside, the soldiers fanned out to different directions. They also kicked the main door to get into the building.

When Dr. Velmonte and her son, Bob demanded for a search warrant, they were merely brushed aside by the military.

All medical practitioners and health workers, were ordered to line up at the garage, frisked, and handcuffed. The victims were also questioned and photographed by the military, while another took a video recording of the interrogation. The male victims were then blindfolded with old shirts brought in by the soldiers and secured with packaging tape. All of the personal belongings of the victims were also taken by the military.

When the participants were already handcuffed, it was only then that Police Superintendent Marion P. Balonglong showed Bob a search warrant for a certain Mario Condes of Bgy. Maybangcal, Morong, Rizal, charged with illegal possession of firearms. The search warrant dated February 5, 2010 and issued by Judge Cesar A. Mangrobang of Branch 22 of the Imus, Cavite Regional Trial Court, did not indicate the exact address of the Velmonte compound.

Bob asserted that the warrant did not specify their address, and that Mario Condes, who is subject of the warrant, is not even the owner of the house, but he was ignored by the authorities.

Outside the compound, were eight (8) vehicles. Along with the four (4) 6 x 6 military trucks were two (2) Armored Personnel Carriers (APC), a KIA Pride car, and an ambulance. Some of the vehicles had no plate numbers while the rest of the license plates were either covered, or smeared with mud.

The health workers were forced into the military trucks and were brought to Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal, headquarters of the 202^nd Infantry Brigade of Philippine Army.

The military declared that the victims were members of the New People’s Army because of the explosives allegedly found inside the compound. However, according to witnesses, the military conducted the search of the compound’s premises only after all of the victims, as well as the residents, were already outside the buildings. Witnesses also said that the military have brought in with them plastic bags with the GMA Kapuso logo printed on it.

Allegedly found were C4 explosives, a pistol with seven bullets, 3 grenades (one allegedly found under a pillow); beside the grenade were some improvised landmines. However, Bob said that they were not issued a receipt of the inventory of the said firearms and explosives.

The illegal search of the Velmonte compound ended at past 9:00 in the morning of Saturday, February 6, 2010.

The military and police arresting team were led by Col. Aurelio Baladad and Police Superintendent Marion Balonglong.

In the afternoon of the same day, Karapatan Deputy Secretary General Roneo Clamor, husband of Dr. Merry Mia, Olive Bernardo, Karapatan Services Head, along with Karapatan counsel, Atty. Ephraim Cortez, Dr. Geneve Rivera and Dr. Edelina De La Paz, chairperson of Health Action for Human Rights (HAHR), went to Camp Capinpin to inquire about the victims. They were not allowed to enter the camp premises.

As of this writing, the military has not allowed any of the relatives of the victims to see anyone of them.