** *Open Letter to Mrs. Gloria Macapagal
Arroyo, President of the
Philippines, *
*and to the non-State Armed Groups*
* ***Killings of Political Activists and Human Rights Defenders in the
Philippines
Paris-Geneva-Quezon City, July 1, 2005
The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World
Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), in the framework of their joint
programme, the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders,
and the Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA), express
their deepest concern at the numerous attacks against human rights
defenders and political activists in the Philippines since the beginning
of the year.
While the Government of the Republic of the Philippines has formally
acceded to a number of international human rights and humanitarian
instruments, non-State actors have openly bounded themselves to respect
them, particularly Article 3 common to the four Geneva Conventions of
1949 for the protection of war victims and the 1977 second Additional
Protocol relating to the Protection of Victims of Non-International
Armed Conflicts. However, both seem unable or unwilling to comply with
those international obligations.
We are alarmed by the increasing human rights violations in the
Philippines. Since January 2005, 15 cases of extra-judicial killings or
violent attacks against political activists and human rights defenders,
allegedly by both State and non-State agents, have been perpetrated in
the Philippines.
We express serious concern on the following cases that are brought to
your attention:
· Fr.* Allan Caparro*, a human rights advocate, and his wife, Mrs.
*Aileen Caparro*, were victims of an attempt on their life on *18
February 2005*. The couple survived the attempt but was seriously
wounded. It is believed that they were attacked because Fr. Allan
Caparro spearheaded an alliance formation in Calbayog, Western Samar,
for the protection of the environment against destructive operations
such as mining in the island and also because he exposed and opposed the
militarisation in Nothern and Western Samar due to numerous human rights
violations reportedly committed by military in the area.
Fr. Allan Caparro and his wife Aileen Caparro were shot by unidentified
motorcycle-riding gunmen at the vicinity of Brgy. Tagabaca, Abuyog,
Leyte at around 6.30 pm on 18 February 2005. State agents, in particular
the Armed Forces of the Philippines, are believed to be responsible for
the attempt on their life.
· Mr. *Arnulfo Villanueva*, a columnist for /Asian Star Express Balita
/(community newspaper in Cavite), had criticised local officials for
their connection with illegal gambling. On the night of *28 February
2005*, his body was found shot dead on a road in the town of Naic, Cavite.
· Mr. *Abelardo R. Ladera*, a council member of Tarlac City and
provincial Chapter leader of party-list Bayan Muna, a political party
highly critical of the government, was killed on *4 March 2005*. Mr.
Abelardo R. Ladera was shot dead by an unidentified person in a store in
McArthur Highway, Barangay Paraiso, Tarlac City at around 1pm. If the
identity of the perpetrators is unknown, it is alleged that the Armed
Forces of the Philippines (AFP), in particular the Northern Luzon
Command, played a hand in the killing.
The military had branded him as a “contact person of the Communist Party
of the Philippines (CPP) and the New Peoples Army (NPA) in Hacienda
Luisita”. It is believed that the true reason of the killing of Mr.
Abelardo R. Ladera was his stance and continued effort to help farm
workers in Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac, who are campaining for their
labour rights and land ownership. He is the ninth person to be killed
since the violent confrontation between the farm workers and the
government forces broke out on 16 November 2004. On that day, the
workers protested about the massive land-use conversion in the hacienda,
the implementation of the “voluntary early retirement programme” in 2000
by the Hacienda Luisita Incorporated and the continued reductions of
man-days.
· Mr. *Romeo T. Capulong*, a human rights lawyer and /ad litem/ judge of
the UN International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, was
victim of an attempt on his life on *7 March 2005*. It is believed that
this attempt on his life occurred because he has been serving as counsel
to striking workers at Hacienda Luisita, concerning the picket line of
16 November 2004. Fifteen unidentified gunmen who traveled in unmarked
vehicles without license plates were involved in the attempt on the life
of Mr. Romeo T. Capulong and they are believed to be members of the
Philippine military or paramilitary forces.
· Mrs. *Angelina Bisuna Ipong*, a leftist activist and peace advocate,
was victim of an illegal arrest and detention, sexual abuse, torture and
inhumane treatment, which started on *8 March 2005*. She was arrested
while she was conducting a consultation with human rights advocates
regarding the implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on the
Respect of Human rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHR-IHL).
The perpetrators of her arrest are members of the Philippine army. For
the first four days of her arrest, she was reportedly held in solitary
confinement in a room, hogtied and blindfolded all the time. Mrs.
Angelina Bisuna Ipong was then allegedly tortured and interrogated for
seven days. She was reportedly stripped naked, sexually assaulted and
ridiculised. Because of the conditions of her detention, she
subsequently suffered from pneumonia. All throughout her detention, she
refused to eat anything and only drank water as a protest against her
detention.
According to Mrs. Angelina Bisuna Ipong, she was forced to confess her
connection with the communist movement. She was liberated on 15 March
2005. On 29 April 2005, Mrs. Angelina Bisuna Ipong was arraigned for the
case of rebellion without bail filed against her at the regional Trial
Court branch 23 situated in Molave, Zamboanga del Sur. A preliminary
investigation is under way.
· Messrs. *Romeo Sanchez *and *Fedilito Dacut*, regional coordinators of
Bayan Muna, were killed in Baguio City at around 5.10pm on *9 March
2005* and in Tacloban City at around 6.45pm on *14 March 2005*
respectively. Mr. Fedilito Dacut was shot dead by two unidentified
perpetrators aboard a single motorcycle and Mr. Romeo Sanchez was also
shot dead by unidentified gunmen. It is believed that Mr. Fedilito Dacut
was killed because, along with other human rights activists, he
campaigned against the recent assignment of Major General Jovito S.
Palparan Jr. as commanding general of the 8 Infantry Division (ID) in
Eastern Visayas. Indeed, Major General Jovito S. Palparan Jr. was
previously accused, on 21 April 2003, of the killing of human rights
activists *Eden Marcellana* and *Eddie Gumanoy* (See Observatory Annual
Report 2004).
· Mrs. *Marlene Garcia-Esperat* was known for being an anti-graft and
corruption advocate. In her career as a journalist, she became active in
revealing cases of graft and corruption in Mindanao Area through her
column in the local newspaper /Midland Review/. Due to this advocacy, on
*24 March 2005*, she was shot in her own house and in front of her
family. She died immediately due to the bullet that hit her head. As per
her husband, Mr. Esperat, he had received death threats via text
messages before the murder. He considers that the murder of his wife
might be connected with one of her articles accusing a police officer of
involvement in illegal logging activity. Though 4 suspects have been
arrested (all pleaded not guilty), the mastermind/s of the crime
has/have yet to be known.
· Mr.* Alden Ambida*, a provincial coordinator of the Bayan Muna party
in Eastern Samar, was also victim of an attempt on his life on *11 April
2005*.
· Mr. *Klein Cantoneros*, a radio broadcaster from DXAA-FM Dipolog City,
was known for denouncing corruption. On his radio program, he frequently
criticised local officials for their alleged connections with corruption
and illegal gambling. On *4 May 2005*, he died due to approximately 7
gunshots. It is assumed that he tried to defend himself against his
perpetrators since he was found clutching his own 45-caliber pistol.
According to his colleagues, Cantoneros had received several death
threats (some through text messages) before he was killed.
· Mr.* Philip Agustin*, the editor and publisher of /Starline Times
Recorder/ (a local community newspaper in Aurora), had released several
articles on corruption and illegal logging cases in his locality. On 11
May 2005, a special edition of /Starline Times Recorder /dedicated to
the corruption and illegal logging in the town of Dingalen was to be
released. It would have exposed involvement of the local town mayor
Jaime Ylarde. On *9 May 2005*, just two days before the release of the
local newspaper special edition, the 55-year old journalist was killed
by a shot to the back of his head in the village of Paltic.
· *Rev. Edison Lapuz*, a priest vocal on human rights issues and Mr.
*Alfredo Malinao*, a peasant leader and political activist, were killed
in San Isidro, Leyte, at around 5.30pm on *12 May 2005*. Rev. Edison
Lapuz was shot dead by three unidentified gunmen while Mr. Alfredo
Malinao died later on. Although there is no direct evidence, it is
feared that Major General Jovito Palparan, chief of the 8^th Infantry
Division Philippine Army, is again involved in these killings. Rev.
Edison Lapuz may have been killed because he had been very vocal against
the killings and harassment of political activists in the area.
· Professor *Castor Gamalo *a 39-year old teacher and president of
Federation of Teachers Association (FTA) of Eastern Visayas State
University (EVSU) in Tacloban City, and also a member of Task Force
Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP), confronted a frustrated salvaging.
The FTA headed by Gamalo had protested against the decision of EVSU
Administration then under the leadership of President Bonifacio
Villanueva to unseat Gamalo, along with other representatives of
teachers and students in the EVSU Board of Directors, without due
process. During the second day of protest, *on 15 June 2005*, Gamalo was
shot twice with a 45 caliber gun. It is believed that the salvaging
attempt is connected to the protest rallies held in Tacloban City every
noon to 1 p.m. since June 14 led by FTA.
The Observatory and PAHRA recall that the Communist Party of the
Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, the the New Peoples Army (NPA),
also use arbitrary killings in order to silence leftist leaders who do
not share their views. Those extra-judicial killings of peaceful
opponents contribute to a climate of fear which undermines freedom of
expression and democracy. In December 2004, the name of Mr. *Walden
Bello*, executive Director of Focus on the Global South, an NGO working
on the issue of globalisation, human rights and peace building, was
included on a list of 14 names of “counterrevolutionaries”, some of whom
have already been killed, e.g., Mr. *Arturo Tabara*, Chairman of a
leftist party who was killed in Quezon City on 26 September 2004. The
names of Mrs. *Lidy Nacpil* and Mrs. *Etta Rosales*, two leaders of the
Human Rights Committee of the Philippine House of Representatives, were
also included in this list (See Observatory Annual Report 2004).
The Observatory and PAHRA call upon the Government of the Republic of
the Philippines and all Non-State Armed Groups to put an immediate end
to the killings of political activists and human rights defenders and to
guarantee their physical and psychological integrity.
The Observatory and PAHRA also call upon the Government of the Republic
of the Philippines to conduct full, independent and impartial
investigations into the cases of summary executions of human rights
defenders and political activists and to bring all perpetrators to justice.
The Observatory and PAHRA urge the authorities of Philippines to ensure
the implementation of the provisions of the Declaration on Human Rights
Defenders adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 9, 1998, in
particular article 1, which states that “everyone has the right,
individually or collectively, to promote the protection and fulfilment
of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and
international levels”, as well as article 12.2, which provides that “the
State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the
competent authorities of everyone, individually or in association with
others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, /de facto /or /de
jure/ adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as
a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred
to in the present Declaration”. More generally, the Observatory and
PAHRA urge the authorities to guarantee the respect of human rights and
fundamental freedoms in accordance with the Universal Declaration on
Human Rights and other international human rights instruments ratified
by the Philippines.
In hope that you will take these considerations and request into account,
We remain,
Sidiki KABA Eric SOTTAS Max de Mesa
President of FIDH Director of OMCT Chairman of PAHRA
--
==
Fédération Internationale des Ligues des Droits de l'Homme
International Federation for Human Rights - FIDH
17, passage de la Main d'Or
75011 Paris - France
tel : ++ 33 1 43 55 25 18 / fax : ++ 33 1 43 55 18 80
http://www.fidh.org/
