Urgent Action Alerts

Karapatan staff receives death threats in Dumaguete, Negros Oriental

admin — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 05:34:45 -0500

On the afternoon of November 8, 2011, while Karapatan coordinator Jose Luis Blanco was resting at the office after a field work, he received a call on his cellphone from an unregistered number (09095596583).

The male caller asked if he is speaking to Jose Luis Blanco. After confirming that he is Blanco, the caller then burst out in a barrage of anti-communist monologue. The caller accused Blanco of being a member of the New People’s Army, and a “God-less automaton of Jose Maria Sison in the Netherlands. The caller threatened Blanco that he will be sexually abused and stabbed to death. The caller also warned that “they” know where Blanco is, and that “they” would have him killed.

Church worker and brother of EJK victim also gunned down by suspected state security forces in Palawan, Philippines

admin — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Account of the incident:

According to reports of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) South Luzon Jurisdiction, on September 5, 2011 at around 1:30pm, Rabenio Sungit was shot dead by an unidentified motorcycle-riding man wearing a balaclava using a .45 caliber pistol in the public market along Pagayona Street, Municipality of Quezon, Palawan Province. Rabenio was with his wife, Trinidad Sungit and their 17 year old son, when the incident happened.

Seven-year-old girl shot by drunken soldier in Compostela Valley, Mindanao, Southern Philippines

admin — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Account of the incident:

Environmentalist harassed in Central Philippines

admin — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0400

For two days, Vince Cinches of the environment watchdog 350.org was harassed by suspected state security forces in the Visayas.

On July 29, 2011, Vince travelled alone by bus to Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental province from Cebu province on board the Ceres Liner bus, where he was tailed by at least four suspected military intelligence agents for the whole length of the trip.

Paramilitary men go on a rampage in Agusan del Sur, Philippines: two Lumad killed, two children wounded

admin — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Account of the Incident: On June 30, 2011 at around 5 am, Arpe was lying on the floor of his house with his wife Mayse and three children, aged 1 year old, 4 years old and 8 years old, when they heard men on the ground outside their house. About two meters from their house, Arpe's daughter (Michelle), 14 years old and his nephew Solte, 21 years old were asleep in a neighboring house. All of a sudden, gunfire was directed at the house where Michelle and Solte were sleeping. Solte jumped out of the house and was followed by gunfire. Michelle saw Solte fall to the ground as she was hit on the left leg. She rolled down the hillside to hide below.

The gunmen entered the Belayong house and as Arpe tossed his one-year-old daughter to Mayse, he was shot twice on the chest, falling over Adeb, who was still lying on the floor. After seeing Tala Mansinugdan and Laging Binsalan among the armed men who shot Arpe, Mayse jumped out of the house with her baby daughter and eight-year-old son and rolled down the hill to their farm plot below. She saw her wounded teenage daughter and told her to hide. Mayse then ran for two kilometers to get help at the house of Lagdam Hanghadon, her cousin and their nearest neighbors.

Leader of small-scale miners killed in Compostela Valley

admin — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0400

On April 12, 2011, at around 6 PM, Santos V. Manrique, also known as Ricky, was at the lawn in front of his house in Brgy. Kingking, Pantukan responding to a call in his two-way radio. His wife, Amelia, 46, said she was just a meter away from him, while their six-year-old grandson was also near when a man arrived and shot Ricky three times at the back with a .45 caliber pistol, from a three-and-a-half meter distance.

Human rights volunteers harassed, arbitrarily arrested and detained in Sta. Catalina, Negros Oriental, Philippines

admin — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Account of the Incident:

On March 17, 2011, the five-man HR Team of Karapatan-Central Visayas went to the village of Barangay Nagbinlod, municipality of Sta. Catalina in Negros Oriental, to document reported human rights abuses of the state security forces following an alleged clash between the military and the New People's Army (NPA).

Member of Bayan Muna abducted and killed in Albay, Philippines

admin — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 11:22:02 -0500

On 25 February 2011, Rodel Estrellado was walking home from a local market in Barangay 3, Malilipot, Albay, after buying food for his family. According to witnesses, at around 9:00 a.m., around four men who introduced themselves as members of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) accosted Estrellado and forced him inside a gray car with plate number MXN 902.

Surprisingly, three hours earlier at 6:00 a.m., the Armed Forces of the Philippines through 9th Infantry Division spokesperson Maj. Harold Cabunoc issued a statement that an alleged member of the New People's Army named Elmer Estrollado was killed in an armed encounter in the village of Buluang, Municipality of Bato, Camarines Sur. Also on the same day at 1:25 p.m., a certain Major Danilo Ambe and 2nd Lt. Maribel Donilla based in Mabaludbalud, Tigaon, Camarines Sur filed a blotter report in PNP Bato that they conducted a strike operation in Buluang, Bato that resulted in the death of one Elmer Estrellado.

On 27 February, after searching for Rodel in various army camps, the Roodel's relatives decided to go to the funeral parlor where “Elmer Estrellado” was brought. However, the family found out that the deceased is their missing loved one, Rodel.

NGO worker arrested and charged with trumped-up cases in Negros Occidental

admin — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0500

At around 6:15 in the evening on March 1, 2011, Rowena Quilop arrived at the New Bacolod-Silay Airport from Cebu City. She has just returned from a training-workshop on the use of Quickbooks in Baklayan, Province of Bohol. She was met at the airport by her husband and two children, aged 7 and 3 years old, who came to pick her up.

B'laan tribe chieftain and his son tortured and killed in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur

admin — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0500

On the morning of February 27, Rudy and Rudyric Dejos was working on their respective farms which is near their residence in the village of Zone 1, Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur.