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PHILIPPINES: Two female student activists and a peasant forcibly abducted and disappeared; one of the victims is pregnant

July 19, 2006

[NOTICE: The AHRC have developed a new automatic letter-sending system using the "button" below. However, in this appeal, we could not include e-mail addresses of some of  the Philippine authorities. We encourage you to send your appeal letters via fax or post to those people. Fax numbers and postal addresses of the Philippine authorities are attached below with this appeal. Thank you.]

URGENT ACTION URGENT ACTION URGENT ACTION URGENT ACTION

ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION - URGENT APPEALS PROGRAMME

Urgent Appeal

20 July 2006
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UA-245-2006: PHILIPPINES: Two female student activists and a peasant forcibly abducted and disappeared; one of the victims is pregnant

PHILIPPINES: Arbitrary arrest; enforced and involuntary disappearance; violence against women; torture; inadequate police investigation;
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Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you of the disappearance of two student activists and a peasant on June 26, 2006. The victims Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeño were staying at a house in Purok 6, Barangay (village) San Miguel, Hagonoy when armed men believed to be military forcibly took them. Cadapan was pregnant at the time of the incident. When peasant Manuel Merino confronted the attackers to help the victims he too was bound and was taken together with the victims. The victims were seen to be taken by the perpetrators onboard a service vehicle with license plate number RTF 597 towards a nearby town in Iba, Hagonoy and have not been seen since.

After the incident, an alliance of a local human rights group Alyansa ng mga Mamamayan para sa Pantaong Karapatan-Bulacan (People's Alliance for Human Rights-Bulacan) immediately formed a quick response team in an effort to locate the victims. They proceeded to the headquarters of the 56th Infantry Battalion, Philippine Army in Iba, Hagonoy, Bulacan where they spotted the getaway vehicle used by the perpetrators.  The quick response team however was refused entry inside the headquarters. While they were outside, a vendor asked them "yong mga babae ba?" (Are you looking for the women?), referring to the victims they were looking for. The vendor, however, keep silent when the group said they are indeed looking for three missing persons, two of whom were women.

Although the military denied having them in custody, under the circumstances they might have known of their whereabouts. A person whom the military allegedly illegally arrested but later released on June 28, Alberto Ramirez, has confirmed that one of the disappeared victims is being used by the military as guide. He was referring to Manuel Merino. The service vehicle used in arresting Ramirez had the same license plate number to the vehicle used in abducting the three victims, RFT 597. Ramirez was taken to an army detachment in Barangay (village) Mercado, Hagonoy, Bulacan. Upon his arrival at the army detachment, Ramirez was asked about, but denied that he knew of Cadapan and Empeño. Although he has been released he is still unable return home for fear of further harassment by the military.

On July 12, the UP Diliman University Council passed a Resolution expressing concern for the abduction and disappearance of two of their students. It is learned that Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary, Ronaldo Puno and Department of National Defense Secretary, Avelino J. Cruz, have already been requested by the school authorities to help locate the two students. However, there has been no progress yet.

The Council’s resolution strongly “support and reiterate the request to Secretary Puno and other government authorities that they immediately furnish us with information of the whereabouts of Empeno and Cadapan, provide them with medical and legal assistance, and release them to the care of the University as soon as possible”.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

The AHRC has previously reported an increasing number of disappeared victims since early this year. Most of the victims’ whereabouts have not been discovered and remained unknown.

There is the case of activist Philip Limjoco who was last seen on May 8 by his son Glen at a bus terminal in Dau, Pampanga. Limjoco lost contact with his family and was believed to have been abducted and disappeared. On May 16, activist Roland Porter was riding his bike along Sacramento corner San Rafael Streets in Barangay (village) Olympia, Makati City when several unidentified men in a van forcibly abducted him (UA-170-2006).

On May 17, armed men believed to be military agents forcibly took victims Domingo Guinto (a.k.a Jojo), Abelardo Interior and Virgilio Tranquilino from their houses in General Tinio, Nueva Ecija. The perpetrators were hooded with bonnets, army camouflage pants, and some had black long sleeve shirts on at the time of the incident (UA-172-2006). The three whereabouts of the victims remained unknown.

There was one case where an activist, Audie Lucero of Abucay, Bataan, was reported missing and was later found dead on 13 February 2006. He was last seen talking to some police and military personnel before he went missing and was found dead the following day (UA-078-2006). Those victims whose whereabouts remain unknown were activist Ronald Intal of Tarlac, Tarlac (UA-127-2006); Dario Almonte of Batangas (UA-124-2006); Joey Estriber of Baler, Quezon (UP-048-2006); labour leader Rogelio Concepcion of San Ildefonso, Bulacan (UA-087-2006) and Francis Noel Desacula of Batangas (UA-042-2006).


SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write letters to concerned agencies requesting them to exhaust all means to locate the disappeared victims. An impartial and effective investigation must be conducted to look into the allegations of an alleged involvement by the military. They must answer the allegations against them. The families and relatives of the disappeared must be actively involved in any effort to locate the victims.

To support this appeal, please click:

We also urge you to sign both the petition to STOP extrajudicial killings in the Philippines: http://www.pinoyhr.net

Sample letter:

Dear ___________,

PHILIPPINES: Two female student activists and a peasant forcibly abducted and disappeared; one of the victims is pregnant

Name of disappeared victims:
1.  Sherlyn Cadapan (29), a student of the College of Human Kinetics (CHK) of the University of the Philippines (UP), Quezon City, Metro Manila. She was a community organizer for Anakbayan, a youth group. She volunteers as researcher for Alyansa ng Magbubukid sa Bulacan (Alliance of Peasants in Bulacan or AMB), a peasant organisation in Central Luzon.
2. Karen Empeño (23), a senior student of UP with the Bachelor of Arts Sociology. She was an active member of the League of Filipino Students (LFS).
3. Manuel Merino (55), a local peasant. He was also attached with the Alyansa ngMagbubukid sa Bulacan (Alliance of Peasants in Bulacan)
Possible perpetrators: Unidentified military men possibly attached to the command of Lieutenant Colonel Rogelio G. Boac of the 70th Division Reconnaissance Company
Place of incident: San Miguel, Hagonoy Bulacan
Date of incident: June 26 2006 at 2 a.m.

It has come to my attention that three more activists, Sherlyn Cadapan, Karen Empeño and Manuel Merino, were forcibly abducted and disappeared on 26 June 2006 in San Miguel, Hagonoy Bulacan. Cadapan and Empeño were students of the University of the Philippines (UP) in Quezon City, Metro Manila, while Merino was a peasant in the area. Cadapan was pregnant at the time of incident.

According to information I received, Cadapan and Empeño were staying in a villagers’ house when armed men forcibly took them. The two were at the time reportedly conducting research work for local peasant groups when the incident took place. One of the victims, Merino, reportedly tried to help the victims but he too was taken together with them onboard a service vehicle with license plate number RTF 597 and last seen heading towards Iba, Hagonoy.

I am deeply concerned of the increasing cases of forcible abduction and disappearance, in particular of the activists in your country. I am aware that this is yet another case of disappearance where the victims’ whereabouts could not be located. In this case, however, I have learned that there are essential circumstances pointing to the possible involvement of the military men. I am aware that Alberto Ramirez, a person whom the military allegedly illegally arrested but was later released on June 28 confirmed that the military have already used one of the victims, Manuel Merino, as their guide. The service vehicle used in arresting Ramirez also had almost similar license plate number to a vehicle used in abducting the victims, RFT 597.

There should be an effective investigation to look into the claims of Ramirez to determine whether it is true or not. Should there be an investigation regarding Ramirez claims, he should also be afforded with appropriate security and protection to ensure his full cooperation in the investigation. The military men involved must answer the allegations of their possible involvement. They must fully cooperate with the victims’ families and relatives in an effort of exhausting all means to look for the victim’s whereabouts. The families must also be actively involved in this process.

Finally, I urge you to use your authority to again request the members of Congress and Senate to consider the enactment of House Bill No. 1556, “An Act Defining and Penalizing The Crime of Enforced or Involuntary Disappearance”, as a priority. I am deeply concerned at the government’s inadequate action to ensure that disappearance is considered a crime. I am deeply concerned of the lack of an enabling law, increasing number of disappearance and the lack of existing remedies available to the victims’ families.

I am looking forward that your action on this matter is forthcoming.


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@yahoo.com

2. Director General Oscar Calderon
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. 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

6. Mr. Stephen J. Toope
Chairperson
UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances
Attn: Tanya Smith
c/o OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Tel: + 41 22 917 9176
Fax: +41 22 917 9006 (ATTN: WORKING GROUP EXTRAJUDICIAL EXECUTIONS)

7. 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 

Thank you.

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

Document Type :
Urgent Appeal Case
Document ID :
UA-245-2006
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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.