January, 2008

Families hope writ of amparo will lead to surfacing Prudencio Calubid et al

Today, the families of missing National Democratic Front consultant and his companions filed with the Regional Trial Court Branch 51 a petition for their release and other relief. With this, the families rekindle hopes to still find NDF consultant Prudencio Calubid and wife Celina Palma, their niece Gloria Soco and NDFP staff Ariel Beloy, who have all been missing for 19 months.

"The recent surfacing of abduction victims by the military renewed our hopes that we will still find them," said Mary Guy Portajada, spokesperson of the Families of the Desaparecidos for Justice or Desaparecidos.

KARAPATAN and DESAPARECIDOS condemn in the strongest term the illegal transfer of political prisoner Elizabeth Principe from the custodial center in Camp Crame to Candon, Ilocos Sur. The surreptitious transfer was conducted at 11:45 pm of January 22, last night, the eve of the filing of the writs of Amparo (for Elizabeth’s release and protection for her and daughter Lorena) and habeas corpus to surface husband Leo Velasco, another peace talks consultant, who was abducted and remains missing since February 19, 2007.

Tildo Rebamonte, a 45-year old carpenter from Claveria town, Masbate province was allegedly abducted by members of the Philippine National Police-Regional Mobile Group (RMG) on January 12, 2008 at around 5 am.

The year 2007 is a dangerous time for the Filipino people as state terror, impunity in human rights violations and general lawlessness grip the nation. The government of Gloria Macapagal-arroyo has done little to stop the political killings and disappearances except take token steps to assuage local and internationale outcry. On the other hand, the year also signals victories in the people's relentless struggle against political repression and state terrorism as the victim's clamor for justice and democracy is echoed here and abroad.

On 17 January 2008, Ronald C. Sendrijas visited his sister who just gave birth at the Ramiro Hospital in Tagbilaran City. At around 9:00 in the evening, he went out to buy medicine for his headache at Paz Pharmacy just across the hospital. At around 9:20 PM, as he approached the pharmacy counter, two men on board a motorcycle stopped in front of the pharmacy. The man riding on the rear of the motorcycle alighted and approached him from behind, put his arm around the victim’s neck and said, “Ronald”, as if to confirm his identity, then shot him twice at the back of his head with a 9-millimeter pistol instantly killing the victim. The perpetrators sped off to an unknown direction after the shooting. Ronald celebrated his 35th birthday on the day he died.

Kin and rights group deplored Pernia’s incommunicado detention

The family of the arrested suspected communist rebel Iglecerio “Ka Choy” Pernia today appealed to the Armed Forces of the Philippines to surface him and respect his right to due process. The AFP denied having Pernia in custody at the Camp Aguinaldo days after his arrest in Bulacan on Jan. 9.