Dear Friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you of the threats to and surveillance of various activists and their organizations. Although identities of the perpetrators are unknown, their surveillance style and manner of threat were all common.
CASE DETAILS: (Based on the documentation by Alliance for the Advancement of Peoples Rights (KARAPATAN))
CASE 1: “Call me should you come back to the government”
On 27 April 2015, five members and officers of the Confederation of Unity of Recognition and Advancement for Government Employees (COURAGE) received letters listing down their involvement with the union and linking these to the rebel Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA).
Evelyn P. Garcia, National Food Authority (NFA) employee and national assistant secretary general of National Food Authority Employees Association (NFAEA), received a short note saying that she should call the mobile number written for the country’s sake. The note was given to her by a man who introduced himself as a government employee. The unknown man sat beside Evelyn on the jeepney, but alighted immediately when she asked further questions.
Fely Saño, 2nd Vice President, National Housing Authority (NHA) employee and Consolidated Union Employees of NHA (CUE-NHA), got her note near the gate of their home.
Manuel Baclagon, Social Welfare Employees Association–Department of Social Welfare and Development (SWEAP-DSWD), National President and former COURAGE Deputy Secretary General, got the note both at his office and at home. His note, as well as those of Roman M. Sanchez, National Food Authority (NFA) employee and NFAEA National President and Rosalinda Nartates, CUE-NHA National President and COURAGE Secretary General accused them of being members of an organization that is a “front of the CPPA-NPA.” Some of the notes had contact numbers where the addressee could call “should they return to the fold” [desist from their perceived leftist, anti-government activities].
Prior to this, on April 21, a certain Sgt. Borres introduced himself as liaison officer of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP), and entered the NFA premises looking for Hilario M. Tan, retired NFA employee and former vice president of the NFAEA and Evelyn P. Garcia. He was stopped at the lobby and brought to the security service office of the NFA for questioning because he was carrying a.45 caliber gun. The security personnel asked Borres for a mission order but he could not produce one, so he left.
CASE 2: “Sir, positive they are in the vicinity”
On 15 May 2015, New Patriotic Alliance (Bagong Alyansang Makabayan) (BAYAN) held an All Leaders’ Meeting at the Teachers’ Center building where the offices of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) and the Quezon City Public School Teachers’ Association (QCPSTA) are also located. The meeting was called to discuss the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) and updates on the workers who died in the fire at the Kentex factory. Around 60 leaders and campaign officers from 31 organizations, including the Alliance for the Advancement of Peoples Rights (KARAPATAN) and its members, attended the meeting that started at 1 p.m.
The security personnel of ACT partylist representative Tonchi Tinio noticed several men around the area of the Teachers’ Center Building. One of the men was heard talking on the phone saying, “Sir, positive, they are in the vicinity.” This was about the same time when Bayan Secretary General Renato Reyes, Karapatan Secretary General Cristina Palabay and another KARAPATAN staff arrived.
Aside from the men, there were also two motorcycles without plate numbers parked on both sides of the building. The riders were standing by as if waiting for someone to come out from the building. A Toyota Innova was also parked, with the engine on, right in front of the building. There were men inside observing what was happening.
When confronted, the men on the two motorcycles fled away, while the men in the tinted Innova couldn’t explain their presence and left as soon as they were confronted.
CASE 3: “Unidentified men monitoring Children’s Center”
On 14 May 2015 at 7 p.m., registered social workers Madella Santiago and Eilekrenes Manano of Salinlahi Alliance for Children’s Concerns and Children’s Rehabilitation Center (CRC), came from a meeting. Both went out of their office to have dinner. A few minutes later, another staff went out of the office after them, also to buy some food.
The staff saw Santiago and Manano go to a restaurant while being followed by a man on a motorcycle with a covered plate. While at the waiting shed outside the restaurant, the staff heard a man beside him talk over the phone and say, “They are here.” The same motorcycle rider would later be seen looking inside the CRC and Salinlahi office a few minutes after Santiago and Manano went back to the said office.
The next evening, two men were again spotted in front of the gate of the Salinlahi and CRC office. The men were texting and looked like they were monitoring the people coming in and out of the office.
On May 16, two men were again spotted at the office, this time in front of a heavily tinted blue car bearing a Criminal Investigation and Detection Group sticker.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write letters to the authorities listed below expressing your concern about this case.
The AHRC is also writing a separate letter to the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear __________,
PHILIPPINES: Surveillance and harassment of various human rights defenders
CASE 1:
Name of harassed victims:
- Evelyn P. Garcia, National Food Authority (NFA) employee and national assistant secretary general of National Food Authority Employees Association (NFAEA)
- Fely Saño, 2nd Vice President, National Housing Authority (NHA) employee and Consolidated Union Employees of NHA (CUE-NHA)
- Manuel Baclagon, Social Welfare Employees Association–Department of Social Welfare and Development (SWEAP-DSWD) National President and former Confederation of Unity of Recognition and Advancement for Government Employees (COURAGE) Deputy Secretary General
- Roman M. Sanchez, National Food Authority (NFA) employee and NFAEA National President
- Rosalinda Nartates, CUE-NHA National President and COURAGE Secretary General
Alleged Perpetrators:
- Unknown passenger who introduced himself as a government employee.
- A certain Sgt. Borres, introduced himself as liaison officer of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP).
Date of incident:
- 27 April 2015
- 21 April 2015
Place of incident:
- Jeepney, a public transport
- Offices and residence of the harassed victims
CASE 2:
Name of harassed victims:
- Renato Reyes, Secretary General of New Patriotic Alliance (BAYAN)
- Cristina Palabay, Secretary General of Alliance for the Advancement of Peoples Rights (KARAPATAN)
- Karapatan staff
- Around 60 leaders and campaign officers from 31 organizations, including KARAPATAN and its members
Alleged Perpetrators:
- One of several men seen in the vicinity, heard talking with someone on the phone
- Two motorcycle riders parked on both sides of the building without plate numbers.
- Men inside Toyota Innova parked right in front of the building.
Date of incident: 15 May 2015
Place of incident: Teachers’ Center building
CASE 3:
Name of harassed victims:
- Madella Santiago
- Eilekrenes Manano
Both registered social workers of Salinlahi Alliance for Children’s Concerns and Children’s Rehabilitation Center (CRC)
Alleged Perpetrators:
- a man on a motorcycle with a covered plate
- Two men in front a heavily tinted blue car bearing a CIDG sticker.
Date of incident:
- 14 May 2015 at 7 p.m.
- 16 May 2015
Place of incident: In front of Salinlahi Alliance for Children’s Concerns and Children’s Rehabilitation Center (CRC)
I am writing to express my concern at the harassment of different progressive leaders and their organizations.
In the first incident on 27 April 2015, five members and officers of Confederation of Unity of Recognition and Advancement for Government Employees (COURAGE), as named above, received letters listing down their involvement with the union and linking these to the rebel Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA).
Evelyn P. Garcia received a short note saying that she should call the mobile number written for the country’s sake. The note was given to her by a man who introduced himself as a government employee. The unknown man sat beside Evelyn on the jeepney, but alighted immediately when she asked further questions.
Fely Saño got her note near the gate of their home.
Manuel Baclagon got the note both at his office and at home. His note, as well as those of Roman M. Sanchez and Rosalinda Nartates, accused all three individuals of being members of an organization that is a “front of the CPPA-NPA.” Some of the notes had contact numbers where the addressee could call “should they return to the fold” [desist from their perceived leftist, anti-government activities].
Prior to this, on April 21, a certain Sgt. Borres introduced himself as liaison officer of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP), and entered the NFA premises looking for Hilario M. Tan, retired NFA employee and former vice president of the NFAEA and Evelyn P. Garcia. He was stopped at the lobby and brought to the security service office of the NFA for questioning because he was carrying a.45 caliber gun. The security personnel asked Borres for a mission order but he could not produce one, so he left.
Another incident occurred on 15 May 2015, at the All Leaders’ Meeting held by the New Patriotic Alliance (Bagong Alyansang Makabayan) (BAYAN). The meeting was called to discuss the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) and updates on the workers who died in the fire at the Kentex factory. Around 60 leaders and campaign officers from 31 organizations, including the Alliance for the Advancement of Peoples Rights (KARAPATAN) and its members, attended the meeting that started at 1 p.m.
The security personnel of ACT partylist representative Tonchi Tinio noticed several men around the area of the Teachers’ Center Building, where the meeting was held. One of the men was heard talking on the phone saying, “Sir, positive, they are in the vicinity.” This was about the same time when Bayan Secretary General Renato Reyes, Karapatan Secretary General Cristina Palabay and another Karapatan staff arrived.
I have come to know that aside from the men, there were also two motorcycles without plate numbers parked on both sides of the building. The riders were standing by as if waiting for someone to come out from the building. A Toyota Innova was also parked, with the engine on, right in front of the building, with men inside observing what was happening.
When confronted, the men on the two motorcycles fled away, while the men in the tinted Innova couldn’t explain their presence and left as soon as they were confronted.
In the third incident, occurring on 14 May 2015 at 7 p.m., registered social workers Madella Santiago and Eilekrenes Manano of Salinlahi Alliance for Children’s Concerns and Children’s Rehabilitation Center (CRC), came from a meeting. Both went out of their office to have dinner. A few minutes later, another staff went out of the office after them, also to buy some food.
I was informed that the staff saw Santiago and Manano go to a restaurant while being followed by a man on a motorcycle with a covered plate. While at the waiting shed outside the restaurant, the staff heard a man beside him talk over the phone and say, “They are here.” The same motorcycle rider would later be seen looking inside the CRC and Salinlahi office a few minutes after Santiago and Manano went back to the said office.
The next evening, two men were again spotted in front of the gate of the Salinlahi and CRC office. The men were texting and looked like they were monitoring the people coming in and out of the office.
On May 16, two men were again spotted at the office, this time in front of a heavily tinted blue car bearing a Criminal Investigation and Detection Group sticker.
Such surveillance and harassment is clearly distressing. I urge you to investigate all these incidents. It is also important to develop a protection mechanism to avoid the escalation of threats and harassment to human rights defenders and social activists, which I urge you to look into promptly.
Yours sincerely,
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PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
- Mr. Benigno Aquino III
President
Republic of the Philippines
Malacanang Palace
JP Laurel Street, San Miguel
Manila 1005
PHILIPPINES
Fax: +63 2 736 1010
Tel: +63 2 735 6201 / 564 1451 to 80
- Mr. Jose Luis Martin Gascon
Chairperson
Commission on Human Rights
SAAC Bldg., Commonwealth Avenue
U.P. Complex, Diliman
Quezon City
PHILIPPINES
Fax: +63 2 929 0102
- Police Leonardo Espina
Deputy Director General,
Officer in charge, Philippine National Police (PNP),
Camp General Rafael Crame,
Quezon City
PHILIPPINES
Fax +632 7248763
Email: feedback@pnp.gov.ph
- Ms. Leila de Lima
Secretary
Department of Justice (DOJ)
DOJ Bldg., Padre Faura
1004 Manila
PHILIPPINES
Fax: +63 2 521 1614
E-mail: soj@doj.gov.ph
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrc.asia)
