UA-156-2007: PHILIPPINES: Forcible abduction and disappearance of five persons including a mother of two-month-old twin
PHILIPPINES: Forcible abduction and enforced disappearance; delays in
conduct of investigation; violence against women
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Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) deeply regrets to inform you
the cases regarding the forcible abduction and subsequent
disappearance of five more persons, including a mother of
two-month-old twins, in separate incidents in March and April 2007.
The whereabouts of the victims, namely Josephine Nogoy (32) of
Tarlac, Alan Bumanglag of Cagayan, Jonas Joseph Burgos and his
companion Melissa Reyes and another person (name unknown) of Quezon
City, all in Luzon areas, have remained unknown. All of the victims
were either members or have been closely involved in helping peasant
groups prior to their abduction.
CASE DETAILS:
The information below are gathered from various sources, including
the Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights (Karapatan), a
human rights group based in Quezon City, Metro Manila.
At 1:00am on March 27, unidentified armed men onboard two separate
vans had arrived at the house of Josephine Nogoy’s sister-in-law
Divina Guevarra in Purok Masagana, Iba Village, San Jose. One of the
vans is black in color while the other is dark brown or maroon. The
vans did not bear any license plates with them. The perpetrators
numbering around 15 were armed. They were wearing black long sleeves,
bonnets and gloves and combat shoes, when they forced their selves in
into the house split into two groups where the victim was visiting.
One group, which is composed of eight of men, forced their selves and
started threatening by pointing their guns at Divina, her husband and
their two children. The others were searching for something inside
the house. Upon seeing Nogoy inside, they then forcibly took her into
a van waiting outside the house at gunpoint. The armed men sped away
taking Nogoy with them. Nogoy’s twin children were left behind the
Guevarras custody.
At the time of incident, Nogoy was with her twin children visiting
the Guevarras family. Not only the perpetrators did forced their
selves into the Guevarras the other groups who are companies of those
who took Nogoy likewise entered into the nearby house of Patricio
family, the Guevarras neighbour. They also threatened and pointed
guns at those inside the house asking for the whereabouts of
Josephine.
In another incident, another victim Alan Bumanglag (age around in his
40s), a member of Kagimungan, the local chapter of the Kilusang
Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) in Cagayan, was also reported to have
been abducted and disappeared on April 26. Prior to his
disappearance, the soldiers attached to the 17th Infantry Battalion,
Philippine Army allegedly took him inside their camp located in
Tanglagan, Gattaran, Cagayan for questioning. He was interrogated for
several hours and was only allowed leave there at around 2:00pm. It is
reported, however, that three men were reportedly seen following him
from the military camp. His whereabouts have been unknown since then.
Two days later in Metro Manila, on 28 April, three more persons were
reportedly disappeared after they were allegedly forcibly abducted.
According to the information, Jonas Joseph Burgos failed to arrive at
their home as he was expected. He already informed his family that he
is on his way to home and that he was just somewhere in SM North Edsa
by sending SMS message. It was found out later that Burgos, who was
with his companion Melissa Reyes and an unnamed person, could no
longer be located.
Burgos had promised to arrive at his family’s place at around 6:00pm.
Although his family kept sending text messages to his mobile phone to
ask his whereabouts for all through the night, the family received a
message from his mobile at 10:46am on the following morning on April
29 saying: “Sensya na, ligo lang” (I’m sorry, was just taking a
bath).
The exchange of text messages continued with the victim’s family
trying to find out about his condition but the supposed reply from
the victims did not make any sense. And when his family called him
up, though they were able to speak with him but his voice sounded
like he was drugged and his answers are not clear. His family
continued on checking him through SMS messages and by calling his
mobile phone occasionally. His phone however was off from that whole
night until the following morning, April 30.
The family of Burgos’ companion Reyes’, have likewise reported that
she also failed to come home since April 28 evening.
At the time of incident, Burgos, who is a graduate of agriculture
from the Benguet State University, had been giving agricultural
technology training for members of the Alyansa ng Magbubukid sa
Bulacan (AMB), a chapter of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP
or Peasant Movement of the Philippines) for past nine years. The AMB
and KMP are peasant organizations lobbying for the solution of
agrarian issues in Central Luzon. Prior to Burgos’ disappearance,
several leaders and members of the AMB have already been victims of
either killings or abductions allegedly committed by security forces
in the past.
Burgos is the son of the late Jose “Joe” Burgos Jr., former publisher
and editor of the We Forum and Malaya newspapers. The late elder
Burgos’ publications are the pioneering alternative press
during the Marcos regime. The elder Burgos was also an awarded
journalist, a widely known civil libertarian and defender of press
freedom until he died in 2003.
As of May 5, various sources reported about the abduction of Burgos,
and conveying disappointments of his family about delay in the
process of police investigation into disappearance of the victim. The
victim’s brother, Jose Luis “JL” Burgos, told the media that they have
yet received any information on the progress of investigation and the
victim’s whereabouts from the authorities. The clue that the
police have had so far is the license plate number of the car that
was used to take the victims away.
According to the victim’s mother, Edith Burgos, they have received
further information from several witnesses of her son’s abduction.
Edith claimed having received a phone call from a man who told her
that he should speak to a security guard at another shopping mall
where her son was also seen. There has not been made substantial
progress so far regarding the victim’s whereabouts.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write letters to the concerned authorities requesting for
their immediate intervention to effectively investigate in
determining the whereabouts of these disappeared victims. The
authorities must also ensure that the victims’ relatives are actively
involved in this process. They must also consider providing protection
and security for them if necessary.
Once again, please also renew calls to the Philippine government, in
particular the Congress to enact the proposed law which considers
acts of enforced disappearance as a criminal offence without delay.
The enactment of the bill is an initial step and one of the many ways
to ensure that cases of disappearance are properly investigated,
adequate compensation and protection are afforded to the victims and
their families, amongst others.
To support this appeal, please click here:
Suggested letter:
Dear ________,
PHILIPPINES: Forcible abduction and disappearance of five persons
including a mother of two-month-old twin
Case 1:
Name of disappeared victim: Josephine Nogoy (32), a resident of
Talaga village, San Jose, Tarlac. She has two-month old twins.
Alleged Perpetrators: Unidentified armed men believed to be military
elements
Place of incident: Masagana Zone, Iba village, San Jose town, Tarlac
Date of incident: At around 1:00am on 27 March 2007
Case 2:
Name of disappeared victim: Alan Bumanglag, a member of a peasant
group Kagimungan
Alleged perpetrators: Unidentified men believed to have links with
the military
Place of incident: In Tanglagan, Gattaran, Cagayan close to the camp
of 17th Infantry Battalion, Philippine Army
Date of incident: 26 April 2007
Case 3:
Name of disappeared victims:
1. Jonas Joseph Burgos (38), a resident of Tandang Sora, Quezon City.
He has one child. He was the Trainor of Alyansa ng Magbubukid sa
Bulacan (AMB or Peasants Alliance in Bulacan)
2. Melissa Reyes, a mother of four children
3. Still to be identified male companion
Alleged perpetrators: Unidentified men
Place of incident: At the vicinity of Shoe Mart (SM) North Edsa,
Quezon City
Date of incident: At around 6:00pm on 28 April 2007
I am writing to draw your attention to the alleged forcible abduction
and subsequent disappearance of five persons, including a mother of
two-month-old twins, in separate incidents in March and April 2007. I
have learned that the whereabouts of victims Josephine Nogoy (32) of
Tarlac, Alan Bumanglag of Cagayan, Jonas Joseph Burgos of Quezon City
and his two companions, Melisa Reyes and another person (name
unknown), all in Luzon areas, have remained unknown.
On March 27, Nogoy was forcibly abducted by armed men while visiting
her sister-in-law’s house in Tarlac. She was with her
two-month-old-twin when the perpetrators forcibly took her. On April
26, Bumanglag was allegedly abducted following his release from a
military camp of the 17th Infantry Battalion, Philippine Army, where
he was subjected for questioning. On April 28, Jonas Joseph Burgos
and his companions, Melissa Reyes and another unnamed person, were
reportedly forcibly abducted at the vicinity of a mall in Quezon
City.
I am extremely shocked and completely disappointed by the
disappearances that took place within a short span of period. I
therefore urge you to exhaust all means to ensure these cases are
properly and effectively investigated. Any investigation conducted on
these cases must aim at locating the victims’ whereabouts and to the
alleged perpetrators. The investigating authorities must also closely
coordinate with the disappeared victims’ relatives and families. The
loss and trauma the victims’ families have to suffer as a result of
these incidents is enormous, therefore, the authorities must practice
high level of efficiency and sensitivity in dealing these.
I am aware that these cases added to the alarming and increasing
cases of enforced disappearances and extra-judicial killings taking
place all over the country. I am completely disappointed of the
government’s either failure or incapability to prevent these
incidents from taking place and to prosecute those responsible. While
I deeply appreciate the government’s limited actions in addressing the
country’s deteriorating human rights condition, however, I am not
satisfied of the progress. Once again I urge you to exert more effort
and take pro-active measures in protecting the lives of your citizens.
The cases of enforced disappearance and unabated extra-judicial
killings have no place in a civilized society like yours.
Once again, I renew my call to your government to consider the
enactment of the proposed bill, which considers acts of forcible and
enforced disappearance as a criminal offence without delay. By
enacting this law, it could provide greater mechanism for police,
assistance and adequate compensation to the families of disappeared
victims. This could help prevent cases of disappearance if not
totally eradicating it. Unless there is an existing mechanism where
authorities are mandated by law to act on, there is a negligible
expectation to improve the situation.
I trust that you will take action in these cases.
Yours sincerely,
—————–
PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTER TO:
1. Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
President
Republic of the Philippines
Malacanang Palace
JP Laurel Street, San Miguel
Manila 1005
PHILIPPINES
Fax: +63 2 736 1010
Tel: +63 2 735 6201 / 564 1451 to 80
2. 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
3. Director General Oscar Calderon
Chief, Philippine National Police (PNP)
Camp General Rafael Crame
Quezon City
PHILIPPINES
Tel: +63 2 726 4361/4366/8763
Fax: +63 2724 8763
Email: bluetree73@gmail.com
4. Mr. Raul Gonzalez
Secretary
Department of Justice
DOJ Bldg., Padre Faura
1004 Manila
PHILIPPINES
Fax: +63 2 521 1614
5. Mr. Orlando Casimiro
Deputy Ombudsman
Office of the Deputy Ombudsman for the Military and Other Law
Enforcement Offices
3rd Floor, Ombudsman Bldg., Agham Road, Diliman
1104 Quezon City
PHILIPPINES
Tel: +632 926 9032
Fax: +63 2 926 8747
Email: omb1@ombudsman.gov.ph
6. Gen. Hermogenes Ebdane
Secretary
Department of National Defence
Room 301, DND Building
Camp Emilio Aguinaldo
E. De los Santos Avenue
Quezon City
PHILIPPINES
Fax: +63 2 911 6213
Email: osnd@philonline.com
7. 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)
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ahrchk@ahrchk.org
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Extrajudicial Killings
