Media Releases

On the Capion massacre 

Karapatan scoffed at the Philippine Army’s (PA) recent move to transfer the 39th Infantry Battalion (IB) in the Kiblawan-Tampakan-Columbio area in place of the 27th IB, the military unit being held responsible for the massacre of B’laan anti-mining activist Juvy Capion, and her two sons, Pop, 13, and John, 8 on October 18. 

Cristina Palabay, secretary general of Karapatan said that the “39th IB is also tainted with blood as it was the same unit responsible, with its attached paramilitary group, for the killing of father and son, Rudy Yalon-Dejos, 50, and his son Rody Rick, 26. Both were found dead with gunshot and stab wounds inside their house on February 27, 2011. Like Juvy, they were from the B’laan tribe in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur.” 

Rudy and Rody Rick Dejos were found dead, their bodies bathed in blood. Their hands and nails were smashed and there were bruises on their bodies. Their tribe was tagged by the 39th IB-PA to be in the “frontline of the underground movement” and the New People's Army.  Rudy was vice chairperson of Zone-1 Farmers Association (ZOFA), an affiliate of Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas. Both underwent interrogation and threat from the military and paramilitary groups because of their involvement with KMP. 

Palabay added that “the grave rights violations committed against the Capion family, and to the Dejoses for that matter, cannot be resolved by playing musical chair, deploying another terror unit in place of one terror unit to supposedly appease the indigenous communities’ disgust over these killings. The recent massacre took three lives, aside from the dislocation it caused the Capion family. This is a matter of justice. Military troops should be pulled out from all communities immediately. “

“It’s psywar, not respect for human rights. The disconnect between Bautista’s statement and the reality on the ground is the result of a paradox between respect for human rights and Oplan Bayanihan, the Aquino government’s version of the United States’ Counterinsurgency program 2009, which Bautista penned,” said Marie Hilao-Enriquez, chairperson of Karapatan. 

Among the many cases of human rights violations under Oplan Bayanihan, Karapatan cited the recent massacre of Juvy Capion and her two sons, both minors, on October 18 by elements of the 27th IB of the Phil. Army. They were killed when the military strafed the house where they were sleeping. Capion was two-months pregnant. 

Karapatan also documented the case of Genesis Ambason, a tribal leader and anti-mining activist who was shot and tortured to death on September 13 by members of the Civilian Armed Force Geographical Unit (CAFGU) and elements of the 26th IB Detachment in a barangay in San Luis, Agusan del Sur. When found, Ambason’s face was beyond recognition, his teeth were all gone and his head shrunk due to torture inflicted on him.

On the Army chief’s statement that Palparan is the last of his kind

The recent statement made by Lt. Gen. Emmanuel Bautista, the chief of the Philippine Army drew ire from members of the Samahan ng mga Ex-Detainee Laban sa Detensyon at Aresto  (SELDA).

“Lt. Gen. Bautista is lying. There are clones of Palparan in the AFP because it breeds the likes of Palparan. It’s not about dishing out phrases like ‘respect for human rights’. It’s about actual rights violations being committed by the AFP and its paramilitary forces,” said Angie Ipong, Selda Secretary General.

Selda said that illegal arrest, torture and other grave forms of human rights violations continue under the Aquino government Oplan Bayanihan. Activists and even civilians continue to become victims of trumped-up charges as the military tries to beat its deadline to end the “insurgency”.

The recent arrest of Rolly Panesa on October 5 is a proof that people are arrested arbitrarily, and on mere suspicion that he is an ‘enemy of the state’ and based on trumped up charges, in violation of his rights.  

Panesa, a security guard, was illegally arrested by joint elements of the 2nd Infantry Division of the Philippine Army, led by Southern Luzon Commander Maj. General Alan Luga, and the Philippine National Police. He was severely tortured because the military misidentified him for a certain “Benjamin Mendoza,” supposedly the secretary of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) in Southern Luzon, with a reward of PhP 5.6 million.

Marites Chioco, Panesa’s live-in partner was also abducted, with her daughter and son-in-law. Chioco was forced to admit that she is ‘Ka Luisa’ whom the military claimed as “Mendoza’s” wife.  It was Chioco who saw Panesa blindfolded while his cheeks were bruised, his mouth was swollen and lower jaw pushed in. Panesa’s right ear was also bleeding because of heavy beatings. Rolly Panesa is currently detained at the Security Intensive Care Area (SICA), Metro Manila District Jail in Taguig City for rebellion and frustrated murder.

“Kung wala nang mga gaya ni Palparan sa militar, bakit may mga tulad namin?”

Ito ang tanong ni Ernan Baldomero, vice-chairperson ng Hustisya, bilang sagot sa mga pahayag ni Lt. Gen. Emmanuel Bautista, pinuno ng Philippine Army na wala na raw mga gaya ni retired Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan sa AFP. 

“Kaming mga kaanak ng biktima ng mga paglabag sa karapatang pantao ang patunay na pawang kasinungalingan ang pahayag ni Lt. Gen. Bautista na wala nang mga katulad ni Palparan,” dagdag pa ni Baldomero. 

Si Ernan ay anak ni Fernando Baldomero na pinaslang noong Hulyo 2010. Ang kanyang ama ang unang biktima ng extrajudicial killing sa ilalim ng gobyernong Aquino.

“Isang malaking kahibangan na sabihing wala nang katulad ni Palparan sa hanay ng military dahil patuloy ang extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances at iba pang paglabag. Bakit may mga gaya ni Fr. Pops Tentorio, Leonard Co, at  Juvy Capion?” ani Ernan Baldomero.

Fiddling around the euphoria of pretensions and hubris, President Noynoy Aquino’s gab in New Zealand has sparked intense reactions.  His apologists, Ricky Carandang and Atty. Edwin Lacierda, expectedly, were quick to come to his defense.

Instead of seriously considering the concern of the international community on the human rights situation in the country, particularly, that of the Philippine Solidarity Network Alliance in New Zealand, Mr. Carandang and Atty. Lacierda easily dismissed this as mere “misinformation” and “propaganda of the extreme leftist elements in the Philippines.” 

PSNA repudiated these insinuations, citing reputable institutions and individuals that have raised similar concerns, such as the UN Special Rapporteurs on human rights defenders and extrajudicial killings; parliaments of the European Union, Canada and Italy; Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and the World Council of Churches, among others.  

Like the government’s claim that there are no political prisoners in the Philippines or its report to the Universal Periodic Review of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights 13th Session in May this year,  Mr. Carandang bragged  of a “significant improvement” in the human rights situation in the country.   But the real situation on the ground belies this claim.  From July 2010 to September 2012, Karapatan has documented 114 cases of extrajudicial killings (EJK), 12 enforced disappearances, 70 torture victims, 224 victims of illegal arrests and detentions, 8,266 victims of forced eviction/demolition and 29,613 internally displaced persons, under  the Aquino presidency.

Marites Chioco, common-law wife of tortured and detained security guard Rolly Panesa, and sister Jiose Panesa today filed before the Supreme Court a petition for habeas corpus directing the respondents to produce the body of Rolly Mira Panesa before the Supreme Court and to seek other remedies thereof, including his immediate release. Panesa’s kin are accompanied by counsel Ephraim Cortez of the National Union of People’s Lawyers and Cristina Palabay of Karapatan. 

Rolly Panesa is detained at the Security Intensive Care Area (SICA), Metro Manila District Jail for rebellion and frustrated murder. Panesa was illegally arrested on October 5 by joint elements of the 2nd Infantry Division of the Philippine Army, led by Southern Luzon Commander Maj. General Alan Luga, and the Philippine National Police. He was tortured because the military mistook him for a certain “Benjamin Mendoza,” supposedly the secretary of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) in Southern Luzon, with a reward of PhP 5.6 million. 

“Panesa’s illegal arrest, torture and continued illegal detention on the basis of trumped-up charges showcases the military’s arbitrariness in the conduct of its counterinsurgency program, the Oplan Bayanihan, and the government’s obsession to meet its self-imposed deadline to end the so-called insurgency,” said Cristina Palabay, secretary general of Karapatan.     

Chioco and Panesa, through their legal counsel, the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) named the following as respondents to the petition: Inspector Bernardino Edgar T. Camus, jail warden of the Security Intensive Care Area (SICA), Metro Manila District Jail; Maj. Gen. Alan Luga, Commanding General of the AFP Southern Luzon Command (SOLCOM); Maj. Gen. Eduardo D. del Rosario, Commanding General, 2nd Infantry Division, Philippine Army; P/CSupt. James Andres B. Melad, Regional Director, Philippine National Police Regional Office IV; and, P/SSupt. Manuel M. Abu, Chief of the Regional Intelligence Office of the PNP Regional Office IV.