Families of victims of human rights violations in Lacub, Abra are expected to arrive today in Manila to seek audience with representatives of Congress, Senate, and the International Committee of the Red Cross. They are also set to file a case against the Government of the Republic of the Philippines through the Joint Monitoring Committee of the GPH-NDF for the implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL).
Families of victims of human rights violations in Lacub, Abra are expected to arrive today in Manila to seek audience with representatives of Congress, Senate, and the International Committee of the Red Cross. They are also set to file a case against the Government of the Republic of the Philippines through the Joint Monitoring Committee of the GPH-NDF for the implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL).
The families would want to call attention to the war crimes committed against the people of Lacub in general and in particular, the extrajudicial killing of two civilians and the brutal killing, torture, mutilation, and desecration of the remains of seven members of the New People’s Army. Said violations happened during a military operation by the AFP’s 41st Infantry Battalion in September 4-6 in Lacub, Abra.
The military operation resulted in the killing of Engr. Fidela Salvador, a development worker from the Cordillera Disaster Response and Development Services (CorDis-RDS) and Noel Viste, a resident of Lacub, Abra who was among the 24 civilians who retrieved the bodies of the NPA members and were used as human shield by the military.
Autopsy reports showed that Engr. Salvador had multiple lacerations and massive hematoma over the back of the head and gunshot wounds all entering her lower back and left and right buttocks exiting at the left shoulder. NPA member Recca Noelle Monte did not die of gunshot wound, for she had none, and “instead died of blunt traumatic injuries in the head, face and chest.”
Other possible war crimes cited by the fact-finding and solidarity missions held in September were:
- Killing
wounded NPAs who probably have laid down their arms or no longer have means of
defense or have surrendered. This is a
strong probability in the case of Arnold Jaramillo. Jaramillo’s body was riddled with multiple
gunshot wounds involving his back and lower extremities, with one particular
GSW fired close-range that the skin surrounding the bullet’s point of entry had
a burnt appearance. - Not
providing quarter – “No quarter will be given” means refusing to spare the life
of anybody, even of persons manifestly unable to defend themselves or who
clearly express their intention to surrender.” (R.A. 9851) - Violations
of indigenous peoples rights such as the AFP’s denial of the Binongan people to
conduct their ritual for the dead and the violation of free, prior and informed
consent (FPIC) on military detachments and military activities.
The families of the victims’ schedule in Manila are as follows:
|
October 22 |
House of Representatives |
to meet with Congressmen/women, |
|
October 23
10: 00 a.m. |
Department of National Defense, Gate 2, EDSA |
Picket with Hustisya, Katribu-KAMPP, |
|
October 24 |
GPH-NDFP Joint Monitoring Committee |
Filing of case at the GPH Section of |