Countdown to International Human Rights Day
“For 2014 alone, the government gave away at least PhP 51.2 million of people’s money to so-called informers that led to the arrest of perceived ‘enemies of the state’ falsely charged with criminal offenses and are now languishing in jail. Who these “informers” were, only the government knows,” said Karapatan Secretary General Cristina Palabay.
Countdown to International Human Rights Day
“For 2014 alone, the government gave away at least PhP 51.2 million of people’s money to so-called informers that led to the arrest of perceived ‘enemies of the state’ falsely charged with criminal offenses and are now languishing in jail. Who these “informers” were, only the government knows,” said Karapatan Secretary General Cristina Palabay.
In 2012, the Department of National Defense (DND) and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) issued Joint Order No. 14-2012 that bears the names of “wanted communist leaders” with a corresponding bounty money amounting to more than Php 466 million. “The list legitimizes illegal arrests and false charges, aside from legitimizing a syndicated money-making venture,” added Palabay.
This year, eight of those in the DND-DILG hit list were arrested:
1. NDFP peace consultants. Benito Tiamzon and Wilma Austria-Tiamzon, peace consultants of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), had PhP 10 million bounty each, while Roy Erecre, also a peace consultant for the Visayas region had PhP 5.6 million reward. Their arrest violated the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG) and is a show of the government’s contempt for the peace negotiations with the NDFP. An amended DND-DILG Joint Order has deleted the names of NDFP consultants, among them Wilma Austria-Tiamzon, “in recognition of the pending peace negotiations and conditions upon the existence of said peace negotiations.” Austria-Tiamzon however remains detained.
2. Community organizers and development workers. Dionisio Almonte, a peasant organizer, has a PhP 5 million bounty. Almonte was undergoing medical treatment, when he was arrested together with his wife. An agriculturist working with the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines, Dominiciano Muya had a PhP 4.8 million reward for his arrest. Muya is also a consultant of the Salugpungan Ta Tanu Igkanugon Learning Center (STTILC), a community based school for Lumad children.
3. “Mistaken identity”. Manuel Esteban was arrested using a warrant meant for a certain Eduardo Esteban who has a PhP 5.8 million reward. Reynaldo Ingal, a driver, was arrested after the AFP insisted that he is “Agaton Topacio” who has a PhP 5 million reward. He was arrested with Lourdes Quioc whom the military claims as “Eugenia Topacio”, also with PhP 5 million reward. Quioc is a cook.
Since the implementation of the Joint Order in 2012, at least Php 88 million was already dispensed with as bounty. Security guard Rolly Panesa, who was accused as CPP leader Benjamin Mendoza, was illegally arrested, tortured and detained for 10 months. A reward of PhP5.6 million for his arrest was given to the alleged “tipster” who gave information leading to his arrest.
“The AFP’s practice of fabricating criminal cases, planting of evidence and numerous legal maneuvers has resulted to the persecution of many innocent individuals and activists. Such amount of money could have been used in a more productive manner instead of pursuing perceived ‘enemies of the state’,” Palabay said.
Based on Karapatan’s documentation, there are 491 political prisoners as of November 30, 2014. Most of them are charged with fabricated criminal cases despite the political nature of their activities. “Thus, their detention is baseless and unjust. The political prisoners should be released immediately.”
“The presence of political prisoners is the product of the machinations not only of the DND and DILG, the AFP and the PNP, but also of the whole Aquino regime. The US-backed Aquino regime can only tolerate those who agree with how big business and foreign interests plunder our country’s resources and exploit our people,” concluded Palabay. ###