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PHILIPPINES: A couple engaged in development work and two other activists killed in separate incidents

June 28, 2006

URGENT ACTION URGENT ACTION URGENT ACTION URGENT ACTION

ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION - URGENT APPEALS PROGRAMME

Urgent Appeal

28 June 2006
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UA-205-2006: PHILIPPINES: A couple engaged in development work and two other activists killed in separate incidents

PHILIPPINES: Extra-judicial killings; violence against human rights activists and their families; complete collapse of rule of law; ineffective investigation
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Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) deeply regrets to inform you that four activists have been killed in separate incidents, among whom was a couple engaged in developmental work. On June 17, activist Tito Marata was killed by gunmen in Loboc village, Oroquieta City. On June 19, George and his wife Maricel were killed while riding on a motorcycle in Barangay (village) Singao, Kidapawan City. On June 20, armed men hooded with bonnets shot dead Eladio Dasi-an (a.k.a. Jazz) while on his way home.

According to a report from Mindanao News and Information Cooperative Center (Mindanews), a news organisation based in Mindanao, George and his wife Maricel were riding on their motorcycle when two armed men riding a motorcycle attacked them. George suffered four gunshot wounds while Maricel suffered two. The couple are survived by five children.

At the time of their death, George was a project officer of the Mindanao Youth Leadership Program of the Community and Family Services, International (CFSI), non-government organisation (NGO) based in Cotabato City. The group provides rehabilitation programmes to internally displaced persons (IDPs). His wife, Maricel, was working as communications consultant for a local public official. She was also area coordinator for SPOTS (Solar Power Technology System) of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), a project funded by British Petroleum. They distribute solar power to agrarian reform communities who have no access to electricity.

The Vigo couple were also formerly journalists and co-founders of the Federation of Reporters for Empowerment and Equality (FREE). They were likewise doing part-time work in the media.

After the killing, the local police created the Task Force Vigo, which is tasked to investigate the killing. The task force is composed of the Police Regional Office (PRO 12), the Criminal Investigation Detection Group (CIDG) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). Although the task force has already released its finding pointing to an alleged liquidation squad of a rebel group as responsible for the killings, it did not satisfy the victims’ families. According Maricel’s younger sister, Maribel, the manner of investigation by the task force could have not been thorough as it was completed too quickly.

The finding was contrary to another report by local police who initially conducted the investigation. While the Task Force was certain of the alleged perpetrators, the local police had no clue as to the identities of the perpetrators. It also asked for enough time for them to investigate the case.

In his memorandum dated June 19, Superintendent Danny Reyes, Kidapawan City Police Office chief, said that: “as of this moment, this station is still facing a blank wall as to the identity of the suspects, since, the witnesses could not identify the perpetrators because the driver was wearing a safety helmet that covered his face while his back rider used face towel to cover his head and face.”

In another report from Karapatan (Alliance for the Advancement of Peoples’ Rights), two activists, namely Tito Marata of Oroquieta City and Eladio Dasi-an (a.k.a. Jazz) have been killed on June 17 and June 20 respectively.

According to reports from various sources, a gunman riding on a motorcycle shot dead Marata in Loboc village, Oroquieta City.

On June 20, Dasi-an was on his way home riding his motorcycle when three men hooded in bonnets and armed with 45-caliber pistols blocked his way. The gunmen shot him several times in the head and chest. Dasi-an was on his way home to his family in Sitio Tuminhao, Barangay (village) Malusay, Guihulngan town, about some 3 kilometers away from the town proper when the incident happened.

The gunmen left onboard a getaway vehicle after they were sure he was dead. There are allegations that the attackers could be members of a military "death squad". Several days prior to the incident, Dasi-an had received information from neighbors and reliable sources that men riding on motorcycles had been asking for his whereabouts.

Dasi-an was a government employee and worked as a messenger for the Local Government Unit of Guihulngan, Negros Oriental. He is survived by his wife and two children.

SUGGESTED ACTION:

Please write letters to the concerned government agencies, in particular the Task Force Usig - a police investigating body tasked to investigate killings of activists - asking them to exhaust all means to resolve these cases. Effective measures must be taken by the authorities to closely coordinate with the victims’ families to address this. Allegations of possible involvement by authorities, in particular in the killings of George and his wife Maricel and Eladio Dasi-an must be looked into.

Automated email letters can be sent by the AHRC Urgent Appeals on-line support system. To support this appeal please refer to http://www.ahrchk.net/support.php?ua=UA-205-2006. For those contacts without an email address, we ask that you still write a letter and post or fax this. If you have any problems or questions using this system, please feel free to contact us at ua@ahrchk.org.

Suggested letter:

Dear _________,

PHILIPPINES: A couple engaged in development work and two other activists killed in separate incidents

Case 1:
Name of victim: Tito Marata
Place of incident: In Loboc village, Oroquieta City
Date of incident: 17 June 2006

Case 2:
Names of victims: George Vigo (33) and his wife Maricel (36) (a.k.a Macel)
Name of alleged perpetrators: Two gunmen riding on a motorcycle
Place of incident: Apo Sandawa Homes, Phase 1, Barangay (village) Singao, Kidapawan City
Date and time of incident: 19 June 2009 at around 5pm

Case 3:
Name of the victim: Eladio Dasi-an (a.k.a. Jazz), 37-years-old, married with two children. He was a resident of Sitio Tuminhao, Barangay (village) Malusay, Guihulngan, Negros Oriental. He was a volunteer for Karapatan (Negros-Chapter)
Names of alleged perpetrators: Three men hooded with bonnets and armed with .45-caliber pistols
Place of incident: Sitio Tuminhao, Barangay (village) Malusay, Guihulngan, Negros Oriental
Date and time of incident: 20 June 2006 at around 6pm

I am writing with extreme shock that another four activists, two of whom was a couple engaged in development work, were killed in separate incidents in your country. On June 17, activist Tito Marata was killed in Loboc village, Oroquieta City. On June 19, George and his wife Maricel were killed while riding on a motorcycle in Barangay (village) Singao, Kidapawan City. On June 20, Eladio Dasi-an (a.k.a. Jazz) was killed by armed men hooded with bonnets while riding on his motorcycle on his way home.

As you are aware, these are yet further incidents of extra-judicial killings and violence against activists and people involved in developmental work in your country. I am extremely shocked by these renewed attacks against activists and the further failure of the government, in particular the police authorities, to identify and arrest the alleged perpetrators, bring them into a court of law, and afford protection to those facing threats.

Although the Task Force Vigo was created to investigate the killing of George and his wife Maricel Vigo, I have learned that the manner in which they are conducting their investigation may not be being done thoroughly. I am aware that one of the victims’ relatives had discontentment as to the result of the task force’s findings. This, however, has not been acted on accordingly by the authorities.

I urge you to closely coordinate with the Vigos relatives and ensure they are actively involved in the process of investigation. Whether the allegations of possible involvement by military forces in the area true or not, there should at least be an inquiry to look into this. It is necessary that the relatives’ version of the case be properly looked into. Should there be new or valuable information to help resolve the case, this must be acted upon accordingly.

Similar actions must also be taken into the killings of activists Tito Marata and Eladio Dasi-an who were killed on June 17 and June 20 respectively. All means must also be exhausted in order to identify and arrest the perpetrators of Marata’s killings. Allegations into the possible involvement by a local military unit into Dasi-an’s killing must also be looked into. Should there be sufficient grounds to have those military men sanctioned and investigated it must be done so without delay.

Additionally, I again urge the government, in particular the Department of Justice (DoJ) to ensure the safety of the remaining families of the slain victims. If it is necessary that they be provided with adequate protection, this should be afforded to them without delay. As victims of violence, the children of the victims, in particular the Vigo couple and Dasi-an, must be afforded with appropriate assistance by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). The welfare of these children must be ensured. If necessary, they must also be afforded with adequate counseling to ensure their full emotional and psychological recovery.

Finally, I urge the DoJ to look into the possibilities of affording appropriate assistance to the orphans of the Vigo couple. It should be looked into whether they could qualify for the provision of appropriate compensation given the situation they are presently in. Also, I urge the DoJ to ensure that these cases are given adequate attention and progress in court once sufficient information is made available to prosecute the perpetrators. This is essential to ensure that families of slain victims seeking justice are afforded with remedies.

I trust that you will take action in this case.

Yours sincerely,

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PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:

1. 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@chr.gov.ph

2. P/DIR Gen. Arturo Lomibao
Chief, Philippine National Police (PNP)
Camp General Rafael Crame
Quezon City
PHILIPPINES
Tel: +63 2726 4361/4366/8763
Fax: +63 2724 8763

3. Mr. Raul Gonzalez
Secretary
Department of Justice
DOJ Bldg., Padre Faura
1004 Manila
PHILIPPINES
Fax: +63 2 521 1614
Email: sechbp@infocom.com.ph

4. Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
President
Republic of the Philippines
Malacanang Palace
JP Laurel Street, San Miguel
Manila 1005
PHILIPPINES
Tel: +63 2 735 6201 / 564 1451 to 80
Fax: +63 2 736 1010

5. Mr. Ronaldo V. Puno
Secretary
Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG)
A. Francisco Gold Condominium II
EDSA cor. Mapagmahal St., Diliman
Quezon City
PHILIPPINES
Voice: +63 2 925 0330 / 31
Fax: +63 2 925 0332
Email: rvpuno@dilg.gov.ph

6. Mr. Orlando Casimiro
Deputy Ombudsman for the Military and
Other Law Enforcement Offices
3rd Floor, Ombudsman Bldg., Agham Road
Diliman (1104) Quezon City
PHILIPPINES
Tel: +63 2 926 9032
Fax: +63 2 926 7572

7. 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)
Email: lventre@ohchr.org / urgent-action@ohchr.org

8. Ms. Hina Jilani
Special Representative of the Secretary General for human rights defenders
Attn: Melinda Ching Simon
Room 1-040
OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Tel: +41 22 917 93 88
Fax: +41 22 917 9006 (ATTN: SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS)
E-mail: MChingSimon@ohchr.org / urgent-action@ohchr.org

9. 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 / urgent-action@ohchr.org (please also cc: rrico@ohchr.org)

10. Mr. Jacob Egbert Doek
Chairperson
Committee on the Rights of the Child
OHCHR-UNOG
8-14 Avenue de la Paix
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Fax: +41 22 917 9022


Thank you.

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

Document Type :
Urgent Appeal Case
Document ID :
UA-205-2006
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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.