Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) received information from KARAPATAN (Alliance for the Advancement of Peoples Rights), a human rights organisation based in Manila, Philippines,?concerning the illegal arrest and detention by the Philippine Army of eight of Karapatan’s volunteers who were participating in a human rights fact-finding mission.
The human rights defenders were participating in a mission to recover the body of Raquel Aumentado, who was allegedly killed in an encounter between the military and the New People’s Army (NPA) in Mulanay, Quezon Province on August 18, 2006. The members of the mission were arbitrarily arrested on August 22, 2006, between 10.00 and 11.00 am, in Barangay (village) Tambakan, Catanauan, Quezon Province, the Philippines.
The arbitrarily arrested and detained KARAPATAN volunteers have been identified as: Kristine Tulay, Christopher De Leon, Khristina Mae Guray, Mary Jane Almoete, Virgilio Batardo, Ramon Blastique Fajardo, Nona Quejero, Leonardo Quejero. In addition, Raquel Aumentado’s father, Mr. Hermogenes Aumentado, along with two Barangay Officials and three staff members of a local funeral parlour, were reportedly harassed by the members of the military.
The alleged perpetrators of these acts are members of the Philippine Army 74th Infantry Battalion (IB), led by Colonel Amado Bustillos.
Mr. Hermogenes Aumentado reportedly sought the assistance of KARAPATAN-Southern Tagalog concerning the retrieval of the body of his daughter, Raquel Aumentado, following her killing on August 18, 2006. On August 22, 2006, KARAPATAN-Southern Tagalog organized a fact finding mission in response to Mr. Aumentado’s request. The team was composed of eight KARAPATAN volunteers from different parts of the region, two Barangay Officials and three staff members of a local funeral parlour. The mission notified Vice-Mayor Reynaldo Comiso before proceeding to the location.
While on their way to the site, elements of the 74th IB led by Col. Amado Bustillos blocked their vehicle in Brgy. Tambakan, ordered the family and the Barangay Officials to leave and detained the eight KARAPATAN volunteers. Col. Bustillos refused to release the body of the deceased to her family. In an ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC) interview, he then reportedly threatened to charge the KARAPATAN volunteers with Obstruction of Justice because, according to him, they looked “suspicious.” The victims are still being illegally and arbitrarily detained at the 74th IB camp in Palo, Ahos, Quezon Province.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write letters to the concerned authorities urging them to intervene in order to ensure that the eight KARAPATAN volunteers are released immediately in the absence of valid legal charges and that Raquel Aumentado’s body be immediately returned to her family members. Furthermore, the authorities should enable an independent, impartial investigation into both the circumstances surrounding her death as well as the arbitrary arrest and detention of the members of the KARAPATAN fact-finding mission. Any person found to have committed violations of human rights should be brought to justice, with adequate reparation being provided to the victims of abuse. The detention of human rights defenders while they are attempting to carry out their work is a serious concern and must be halted immediately.
To support this appeal please click here:
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear __________,
PHILIPPINES: Eight members of a human rights fact-finding team detained, others harassed
Name of victims: Arbitrarily detained KARAPATAN fact-finding mission volunteers - Kristine Tulay, Christopher De Leon, Khristina Mae Guray, Mary Jane Almoete, Virgilio Batardo, Ramon Blastique Fajardo, Nona Quejero, Leonardo Quejero. Victims of harassment - Mr. Hermogenes Aumentado, two Barangay Officials and three staff members of a local funeral parlour.
Alleged perpetrators: members of the Philippine Army 74th Infantry Battalion (IB), led by Colonel Amado Bustillos
Place of incident: at the victim's house in Obando, Bulacan
Date of incident: August 22, 2006, between 10.00 and 11.00 am, in Barangay (village) Tambakan, Catanauan, Quezon Province, the Philippines
I write to express my deep concern with regard to the alleged illegal arrest and detention on August 22, 2006, by the Philippine Army, of eight of KARAPATAN's volunteers, who were participating in a human rights fact-finding mission, and the harassment of five other persons.
The human rights defenders were participating in a mission to recover the body of Raquel Aumentado, who was allegedly killed in an encounter between the military and the New People's Army (NPA) in Mulanay, Quezon Province on August 18, 2006. The members of the mission were arbitrarily arrested on August 22, 2006, between 10.00 and 11.00 am, in Barangay (village) Tambakan, Catanauan, Quezon Province, the Philippines.
The arbitrarily arrested and detained KARAPATAN volunteers have been identified as: Kristine Tulay, Christopher De Leon, Khristina Mae Guray, Mary Jane Almoete, Virgilio Batardo, Ramon Blastique Fajardo, Nona Quejero, Leonardo Quejero. In addition, Raquel Aumentado's father, Mr. Hermogenes Aumentado, along with two Barangay Officials and three staff members of a local funeral parlour, were reportedly harassed by the members of the military.
The alleged perpetrators of these acts are members of the Philippine Army 74th Infantry Battalion (IB), led by Colonel Amado Bustillos.
Mr. Hermogenes Aumentado reportedly sought the assistance of KARAPATAN-Southern Tagalog concerning the retrieval of the body of his daughter, Raquel Aumentado, following her killing on August 18, 2006. On August 22, 2006, KARAPATAN-Southern Tagalog organized a fact finding mission in response to Mr. Aumentado's request. The team was composed of eight KARAPATAN volunteers from different parts of the region, two Barangay Officials and three staff members of a local funeral parlour. The mission notified Vice-Mayor Reynaldo Comiso before proceeding to the location.
While on their way to the site, elements of the 74th IB led by Col. Amado Bustillos blocked their vehicle in Brgy. Tambakan, ordered the family and the Barangay Officials to leave and detained the eight KARAPATAN volunteers. Col. Bustillos refused to release the body of the deceased to her family. In an ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC) interview, he then reportedly threatened to charge the KARAPATAN volunteers with Obstruction of Justice because, according to him, they looked "suspicious." The victims are still being illegally and arbitrarily detained at the 74th IB camp in Palo, Ahos, Quezon Province.
I write to urge you to intervene in order to ensure that the eight KARAPATAN volunteers are released immediately, in the absence of valid legal charges against them, and that Raquel Aumentado's body be immediately returned to her family members. Furthermore, you are urged to enable an independent, impartial investigation into both the circumstances surrounding her death as well as the arbitrary arrest and detention of the members of the KARAPATAN fact-finding mission. Any person found to have committed violations of human rights should be brought to justice, with adequate reparation being provided to the victims of abuse. The detention of human rights defenders while they are attempting to carry out their work is a serious concern and must be halted immediately.
I trust that you will take action concerning this serious matter.
Yours sincerely,
--------------------------------
PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
1. H.E. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
President of the Republic
Malacanang Palace,
JP Laurel St., San Miguel
Manila, Philippines
Fax: (+632) 742-1641 / 929-3968
E-mail: corres@op.gov.ph / opnet@ops.gov.ph
2. Mr. Jesus G. Dureza
Office of the Peace Process
7th Floor Agustin Building I
Emerald Avenue
Pasig City 1605, Philippines.
Fax:+63 (2) 635 9579
3. Hon. Avelino J. Cruz, Jr.
Secretary for National Defence
Room 301 DND Building, Camp Emilio Aguinaldo,
E. de los Santos Avenue
Quezon City, Philippines.
Fax:+63(2) 911 6213
E-mail: osnd@philonline.com
4. Hon. Raul M. Gonzalez
Secretary, Department of Justice
Padre Faura St., Manila, Philippines.
Fax: (+632) 521-1614
Email :sad@doj.gov.ph
5. Hon. Purificacion Valera Quisumbing
Chairperson, Commission on Human Rights
SAAC Bldg., UP Complex
Commonwealth Avenue
Diliman, Quezon City
Philippines
Fax: (+632) 929 0102
Email: drpvq@chr.gov.ph
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ahrchk@ahrchk.org)
