Dear Friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) deeply regrets to inform you that a transport leader have been killed on 2 July 2013. The victim and his group had taken part in a campaign exposing corruption in the government’s transport board. Prior to his murder, in 2008 his name had already appeared in the list of persons who are alleged to be in the order of battle.
CASE DETAILS: (Based on the documentation by Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP))
On 2 July 2013, 8:15am, Antonio “Dodong” Petalcorin, Sr., president of the Davao City-based group, Network of Transport Organizations (NETO) and a member of the Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL) and Akbayan, a political party, was shot dead in Davao City. He was shot three times by an unknown gunman at the garage of his residence in Maharlika Village.
The unknown gunman was allegedly caught on a closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera as he left the scene riding on a motorcycle. A cartographic sketch of the gunman is now with the police.
According to Petalcorin’s wife, she heard her husband shouting after he was shot. When she hurried out to their garage her husband was already lying on the ground. She immediately called the emergency hotline. The emergency team, along with policemen, came after 15 minutes and by that time, Petalcorin was already dead.
According to Petalcorin’s wife, she was not aware of any threats that her husband had received prior to his murder.
Prior to Petalcorin’s death, Emilio Rivera, another leader of a transport group and former chairperson of Matina Aplaya Transport Cooperative, was also murdered on January 25, 2013. Both Petalcorin and Rivera took part in a campaign exposing corruption inside the Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and had called for the resignation of its director, Benjamin Go.
Petalcorin’s name had previously appeared in the alleged order of battle leaked in 2008.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write letters to the concerned authorities listed below expressing your concern about this case.
The AHRC is also writing a separate letter to the UN Special Rapporteur on the extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear …………….,
PHILIPPINES: Transport leader murdered for exposing corruption in the government transport board
Name of the victim: Antonio “Dodong” Petalcorin, Sr., president of the Davao City based group, Network of Transport Organizations (NETO). He was a member of the Alliance of Progressive Labor and Akbayan, a political party.
Alleged Perpetrators: Unidentified gunman riding on a motorcycle
Date of incident: 2 July 2013 at 8:15am
Place of incident: At the garage of his residence, Maharlika Village, Davao City
I am writing to raise my grave concern regarding the killing of Antonio “Dodong” Petalcorin, Sr., president of the Davao City based group, Network of Transport Organizations (NETO) and a member of the Alliance of Progressive Labor and Akbayan in Davao, on 2 July 2013, 8:15am.
I have learned that he was shot three times by an unknown gunman at the garage of his residence in Maharlika Village, Davao City. The unknown gunman was allegedly caught shooting the victim by a closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera as he walked away from the scene before getting on a motorcycle. A cartographic sketch of the suspect is currently police custody.
According to Petalcorin’s wife, she heard her husband shouting after he was shot. She hurriedly went to their garage and found her husband’s lying on the ground. She immediately went inside the house and called the emergency hotline. The emergency team, along with the policemen, came after about 15 minutes by which time Petalcorin was already dead when they arrived.
According to Petalcorin’s wife, she was not aware of any threat that her husband’s life. However, prior to his death, Emilio Rivera, another leader of a transport group, former chair of Matina Aplaya Transport Cooperative was also murdered on January 25, 2013. Both Petalcorin and Rivera took part in a campaign exposing corruption in the Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and call for the resignation of its director, Benjamin Go.
Petalcorin’s name had previously appeared on the alleged order of battle leaked in 2008.
I urge you to investigate Petalcorin’s murder thoroughly and effectively to ensure those responsible are held to account without delay. Also, to ensure the safety of the family of the victim, they must be afforded with adequate security and protection promptly should they decide to prosecute the case.
I trust that you will take appropriate action in this.
Yours sincerely,
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PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
1. 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
2. Ms. Loretta Ann Rosales
Commission on Human Rights
SAAC Bldg., Commonwealth Avenue
U.P. Complex, Diliman
Quezon City
PHILIPPINES
Fax: +63 2 929 0102
Tel: +63 2 928 5655 / 926 6188
E-mail: chair.rosales.chr@gmail.com
3. Police Director Alan LM Purisima
Chief, Philippine National Police
Camp General Rafael Crame
Quezon City, Philippines
Fax +632 7248763
Email: feedback@pnp.gov.ph
4. 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
5. Atty. Winston M. Ginez
Chairman
Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board
East Avenue, Diliman
Quezon City 1100
Philippines
Fax +632 9257191
Email: contact@ltfrb.gov.ph
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Desk
Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) (ua@ahrc.asia)
