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PHILIPPINES: Killing of three peasants; gruesome murder of a mother and her son in separate incidents

May 21, 2007

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ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION - URGENT APPEALS PROGRAM

22 May 2007
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UA-167-2007: PHILIPPINES: Killing of three peasants; gruesome murder of a mother and her son in separate incidents

PHILIPPINES: Extrajudicial killings; violence against women and children; massive displacement; harassment and intimidation
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Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received shocking information regarding the killing of three farmers and gruesome murder of a mother and her son in separate incidents on May 5 and April 2 respectively. The three farmers, namely Benjamin Gelongga, his son-in-law Richard Sarillo and nephew Bobby Quilo, were found dead in their homes after a military operation took place in their village in Magallon, Negros Occidental. In another incident, the dead bodies of Betty Quillano and her 11-year-old son Dan-Dan were burned and mutilated after they were allegedly murdered by the military in San Miguel, Surigao Del Sur.

CASE DETAILS:

On May 5, around 50 military men attached to the 11th Infantry Battalion, Philippine Army were conducting a military operation in the municipalities of Isabela and Magallon (Moises Padilla), all in Negros Occidental. At 2:00 pm, an encounter between the military and a rebel group took place in Sitio Malipayon (a Sitio is a sub-section of a Barangay or village). The fighting lasted for an hour and sporadic gun fire was subsequently heard.

The area where the fighting took place is close to Sitio Coyaoyao, the place where farmers Benjamin Gelongga, his son-in-law Richard Sarillo and nephew Bobby Quilo, were residing together with their families. The Sitios of Malipayon and Coyaoyao are both located in Barangay Sibucau-an.

It is reported that Sarillo was supposed to evacuate his wife and children to safety after the fighting subsided towards the central area of Barangay Sibucao-an. Sarillo, however, decided to go back first to their home to attend to their livestock before joining his family. At the time, his wife and children had already gone ahead of him. Sarillo's was later found dead later. It is believed that Sarillo could have been shot dead while he was on his way home. He suffered a gun shot to his head and could hardly be recognized.

At the time also, Sarillo's father-in-law, Benjamin Gelongga and the latter's nephew, Bobby Quilo, were found dead inside the house in which they were staying. It is alleged that the victims were killed by the military who at that time were conducting operations in the area. Benjamin and Bobby's bodies bore gunshot and stabbed wounds when they were recovered.

The soldiers took the victims' bodies to the municipality of Isabela where they presented them to the media as casualties of the encounter. Lt. Col. Jess Manangquil, the commanding officer of the 11th Infantry Battalion (IB), Philippine Army, claimed the victims were members of a rebel group killed during the encounter with the soldiers. It was only on May 6 when Sarillo's wife learned about her husband's death, her father and a relative.

As a result of the fighting, nearly a thousand villagers from three upland villages of the same municipalities were forced to vacate their homes. The evacuees had sought refuge at schools and chapels. The evacuation likewise resulted in the death of an evacuee, identified as Sotero Abordo (82). Abordo died two days later while seeking refuge at the evacuation center in Sitio Minuro Flores due to health complications. Most of the evacuees returned to their houses on May 7.

At the time of their death, the three victims were members of the Barangay Inulingan Farmers Association (BIFA), a local peasant organization affiliated with the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (Peasant Movement of the Philippines). The KMP is a nationwide federation of organizations of peasants.

In separate incident on April 2, at around 10:00 am, Betty Quillano was together with eight other women and three children taking a rest in a hut, which is about an hour’s walk from the central area of Barangay Caromata, San Miguel, Surigao del Sur. Quillano's son Dan-Dan Quillano (11) and another boy Buboy Montenegro (12) were also inside the hut at that time. They are all waiting for their other companions as they planned to cleanup a field nearby.

It is reported that while they were in the hut, armed men who were later identified as military opened fired at them killing Quillano's son Dan-Dan instantly. Dan-Dan was hit by bullets in the right side of his abdomen. The other victims immediately scampered for safety in different direction.

After the shooting, the military men chased and caught up with Dan-Dan's mother Quillano while her other companions managed to escape. According to eye witnesses, the military forcibly dragged Quillano back to where her son was lying dead. Quillano was repeatedly beaten while she was questioned. Soon after, the military were seen bashing Quillano's head and killing her.  Dan-Dan's dead body was mutilated, mixed together with a pig's carcass and burned together with that of his mother.

The Quillanos relatives were worried when they failed to return home but they were not aware of their whereabouts at that time. It was only on April 11 when they discovered the two were already dead. They went to where the shooting took place add saw traces of the victims' burnt remains --a child's foot and an adult skull. The victim's relatives tried but were unable to recover the victims' personal belongings. Also they were not able to give them decent burials because of the continuing military operations in which the military cordoned off the area.

The military later released a report to the media claiming they have overran a rebel camp in Barangay Caromata, the place where Betty and her son Dan-Dan were killed. They likewise claimed the two fatalities were the result of an encounter. As of May 11, the relatives of Dan-Dan and Betty Quillano have not been able to return to the area to recover their remains. The area is closely guarded by paramilitary units--the Citizens Armed Geographical Unit (Cafgu) and Special Cafgu Active Auxiliary (SCAA).

According to the Alliance for the Advancement for People's Rights (Karapatan), the movements of Quillanos' relatives are already being monitored by the military unit assigned in their village in Barangay Maitum, Tandag. The place where they are residing is about three hours travel on a motorcycle ride from Barangay Caromata.

SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write letters to the concerned authorities listed below requesting for their immediate intervention to ensure that these cases are thoroughly investigated. The military men and paramilitary forces involved must also be investigated to answer the allegations against them. The authorities must exhaust all means to determine those responsible for the deaths of these people.

To support this appeal, please click here:


Suggested letter:

Dear __________,

PHILIPPINES: Killing of three peasants; gruesome murder of a mother and her son in separate incidents

Case 1:
Name of victim/s:
1. Benjamin Gelongga, 72 years old
2. Richard Sarillo, 28 years old. He had five children.
3. Bobby Quilo, 20 years old
All of them were residents of Upper Coyaoyao, Barangay (village) Inulingan, Magallon, Negros Occidental. They were also members of the Barangay Inulingan Farmers Association (BIFA)
Alleged perpetrators: Elements of the 11th Infantry Battalion (IB), Philippine Army (IBPA) headed by Lt. Col Jess Manangquil
Place of incident: Upper Coyaoyao, Barangay. Inulingan, Magallon, Negros Occidental
Date of incident: 5 May 2007 at around 6:00 pm

Case 2:
Name of victims killed:
1. Betty Quillano, 37 years old, a resident of Sitio Banahaw, Barangay Maitum, Tandag, Surigao del Sur
2. Her 11-year-old son Dan-Dan
Alleged perpetrators: Elements of the 58th Infantry Battalion (IB), Philippine Army, paramilitary forces--the Citizens Armed Geographical Unit (Cafgu) and Special Cafgu Active Auxiliary (SCAA), all under 402nd Infantry Brigade of the 4th Infantry Division, Philippine Army
Place of incident: In Barangay Caromata, San Miguel, Surigao del Sur
Date of incident: At around 10:00am on 2 April 2007

I am writing to draw your attention to the killing of three farmers and the gruesome murder of a mother and her son allegedly by the military in separate incidents on May 5 and April 2, 2007 respectively.

According to the information I have received, the three farmers, namely Benjamin Gelongga (72), his son-in-law Richard Sarillo (28) and nephew, Bobby Quilo (20), were found dead shortly after a military operations in their village in Magallon, Negros Occidental. It is believed that the victims were allegedly murdered by the military during an operation. One of the victims, Sarillo, was supposed to evacuate together with his family when he was killed. It is reported that Sarillo could have been killed while on his way back to his house before joining his family who had already gone on ahead to the evacuation centre.

At the time also, Sarillo's father-in-law, Gelongga and the latter's nephew Quilo, were likewise found dead inside their homes. Gelonga and Quilo sustained brutal gunshot wounds while Sarillo had bullet wounds to his head. His body was recovered days after he was reported to have been killed.

In another case, Betty Quillano and her 11-year-old son, Dan-Dan, were also allegedly murdered by the military in San Miguel, Surigao Del Sur in a gruesome manner. I have learned that Quillano and her son were at the time with other women and children taking a rest at a hut who were about to clean up a portion of farmland in the area when the military open fired at them. The said shooting instantly killed Dan-Dan. His mother was caught by the military while her companions had escape and was also murdered. They were seen repeatedly brutally hitting her head while questioning her.

I am extremely shocked of these two incidents which, according to the information I have received, were perpetrated by the military. I am deeply concerned by these serious allegations against the military to which I strongly feel should be properly and thoroughly investigated by an independent and credible body. The military men involved must answer the allegations against them.

I am also aware that the military leadership had already claimed the victims were members of a rebel group and that the killing was part of a military operation. However, given the gravity of these allegations, I strongly urge that a fresh investigation be conducted in this case to determine the real circumstances behind these victims' deaths.

Unless an independent and credible investigation is conducted regarding the circumstances of their deaths, the government cannot excuse itself from the heavy suspicion of the military's involvement in brutally murdering civilians during their operations; and that it is their obligation to promptly act on this. The killing of three peasants, the gruesome murder of a mother and her son and massive displacement of the villagers as collateral to a military operation is unacceptable.

Finally, I urge you to ensure protection and security to the victims' relatives, in particular the Quillanos, who are reportedly experiencing harassment and intimidation following reports that their activities are recently being monitored by the military. This incident of harassment took place after the victims' murder. It is necessary that their security and safety are guaranteed.

I am looking forward for your immediate intervention in these cases.


Yours sincerely,

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PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTER TO:

1. Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
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. Purificacion Quisumbing
Commissioner
Commission on Human Rights
SAAC Bldg., Commonwealth Avenue
U.P. Complex, Diliman
Quezon City
PHILIPPINES
Tel: +63 2 928 5655 / 926 6188
Fax: +63 2 929 0102
Email: drpvq@yahoo.com

3. Director General Oscar Calderon
Chief, Philippine National Police (PNP)
Camp General Rafael Crame
Quezon City
PHILIPPINES
Tel: +63 2 726 4361/4366/8763
Fax: +63 2724 8763
Email: bluetree73@gmail.com

4. Mr. Raul Gonzalez
Secretary
Department of Justice
DOJ Bldg., Padre Faura
1004 Manila
PHILIPPINES
Fax: +63 2 521 1614

5. Mr. Orlando Casimiro
Deputy Ombudsman
Office of the Deputy Ombudsman for the Military
and Other Law Enforcement Offices
3rd Floor, Ombudsman Bldg., Agham Road, Diliman
1104 Quezon City
PHILIPPINES
Tel: +632 926 9032
Fax: +63 2 926 8747
Email: omb1@ombudsman.gov.ph

6. Gen. Hermogenes Ebdane
Secretary
Department of National Defence
Room 301, DND Building
Camp Emilio Aguinaldo
E. De los Santos Avenue
Quezon City
PHILIPPINES
Fax: +63 2 911 6213
Email: osnd@philonline.com

7. Prof. Manfred Nowak
Special Rapporteur on the Question of Torture
Attn: Safir Syed
c/o OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Tel: +41 22 917 9230
Fax: +41 22 917 9016 (ATTN: SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR TORTURE)

8. Ms. Yakin Erturk
Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women
Attn: Ms Vernonica Birga
Room 3-042
C/o OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Tel: +41 22 917 9615
Fax: +41 22 917 9006 (ATTN: SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN)
Email: vbirga@ohchr.org (please also cc: rrico@ohchr.org)

9. Mr. Philip Alston
Special Rapporteur on Extra-judicial, Summary, or Arbitrary Executions
Atten: Lydie Ventre
Room 3-016
OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Tel: +41 22 917 9155
Fax: +41 22 917 9006 (general)


Thank you.

Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ahrchk@ahrchk.org)

Document Type :
Urgent Appeal Case
Document ID :
UA-167-2007
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Extended Introduction: Urgent Appeals, theory and practice

A need for dialogue

Many people across Asia are frustrated by the widespread lack of respect for human rights in their countries.  Some may be unhappy about the limitations on the freedom of expression or restrictions on privacy, while some are affected by police brutality and military killings.  Many others are frustrated with the absence of rights on labour issues, the environment, gender and the like. 

Yet the expression of this frustration tends to stay firmly in the private sphere.  People complain among friends and family and within their social circles, but often on a low profile basis. This kind of public discourse is not usually an effective measure of the situation in a country because it is so hard to monitor. 

Though the media may cover the issues in a broad manner they rarely broadcast the private fears and anxieties of the average person.  And along with censorship – a common blight in Asia – there is also often a conscious attempt in the media to reflect a positive or at least sober mood at home, where expressions of domestic malcontent are discouraged as unfashionably unpatriotic. Talking about issues like torture is rarely encouraged in the public realm.

There may also be unwritten, possibly unconscious social taboos that stop the public reflection of private grievances.  Where authoritarian control is tight, sophisticated strategies are put into play by equally sophisticated media practices to keep complaints out of the public space, sometimes very subtly.  In other places an inner consensus is influenced by the privileged section of a society, which can control social expression of those less fortunate.  Moral and ethical qualms can also be an obstacle.

In this way, causes for complaint go unaddressed, un-discussed and unresolved and oppression in its many forms, self perpetuates.  For any action to arise out of private frustration, people need ways to get these issues into the public sphere.

Changing society

In the past bridging this gap was a formidable task; it relied on channels of public expression that required money and were therefore controlled by investors.  Printing presses were expensive, which blocked the gate to expression to anyone without money.  Except in times of revolution the media in Asia has tended to serve the well-off and sideline or misrepresent the poor.

Still, thanks to the IT revolution it is now possible to communicate with large audiences at little cost.  In this situation there is a real avenue for taking issues from private to public, regardless of the class or caste of the individual.

Practical action

The AHRC Urgent Appeals system was created to give a voice to those affected by human rights violations, and by doing so, to create a network of support and open avenues for action.  If X’s freedom of expression is denied, if Y is tortured by someone in power or if Z finds his or her labour rights abused, the incident can be swiftly and effectively broadcast and dealt with. The resulting solidarity can lead to action, resolution and change. And as more people understand their rights and follow suit, as the human rights consciousness grows, change happens faster. The Internet has become one of the human rights community’s most powerful tools.   

At the core of the Urgent Appeals Program is the recording of human rights violations at a grass roots level with objectivity, sympathy and competence. Our information is firstly gathered on the ground, close to the victim of the violation, and is then broadcast by a team of advocates, who can apply decades of experience in the field and a working knowledge of the international human rights arena. The flow of information – due to domestic restrictions – often goes from the source and out to the international community via our program, which then builds a pressure for action that steadily makes its way back to the source through his or her own government.   However these cases in bulk create a narrative – and this is most important aspect of our program. As noted by Sri Lankan human rights lawyer and director of the Asian Human Rights Commission, Basil Fernando:

"The urgent appeal introduces narrative as the driving force for social change. This idea was well expressed in the film Amistad, regarding the issue of slavery. The old man in the film, former president and lawyer, states that to resolve this historical problem it is very essential to know the narrative of the people. It was on this basis that a court case is conducted later. The AHRC establishes the narrative of human rights violations through the urgent appeals. If the narrative is right, the organisation will be doing all right."

Patterns start to emerge as violations are documented across the continent, allowing us to take a more authoritative, systemic response, and to pinpoint the systems within each country that are breaking down. This way we are able to discover and explain why and how violations take place, and how they can most effectively be addressed. On this path, larger audiences have opened up to us and become involved: international NGOs and think tanks, national human rights commissions and United Nations bodies.  The program and its coordinators have become a well-used tool for the international media and for human rights education programs. All this helps pave the way for radical reforms to improve, protect and to promote human rights in the region.