“The US torture report on the CIA’s crimes affirms the continuing policy and practice of torture and other rights violations by the US government. The US government transports this practice to its neo-colonies to subvert the sovereignty of nations and peoples’ rights. Its US counter-insurgency guide of 2009, and all its counter-insurgency programs in the past, has caused numerous violations of peoples’ rights in various countries such as the Philippines. Photocopies of the US counterinsurgency programs are laid out and transformed into operational plans by their puppet regimes and domestic troops. Thus, the BS Aquino regime’s Oplan Bayanihan that is implemented by the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” Karapatan Secretary General Cristina Palabay said.
“The US torture report on the CIA’s crimes affirms the continuing policy and practice of torture and other rights violations by the US government. The US government transports this practice to its neo-colonies to subvert the sovereignty of nations and peoples’ rights. Its US counter-insurgency guide of 2009, and all its counter-insurgency programs in the past, has caused numerous violations of peoples’ rights in various countries such as the Philippines. Photocopies of the US counterinsurgency programs are laid out and transformed into operational plans by their puppet regimes and domestic troops. Thus, the BS Aquino regime’s Oplan Bayanihan that is implemented by the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” Karapatan Secretary General Cristina Palabay said.
In its year-end report, Karapatan said, “The extrajudicial killing under the BS Aquino regime is not only rising but has increasingly become brutal.” As of end November 2014, Karapatan has documented 226 victims of extrajudicial killings and 225 frustrated killings since BS Aquino assumed presidency.
“But, what is more alarming is the manner by which a number of victims were killed,” said Palabay.
Since July 2010-November 30, 2014, Karapatan documented at least 15 victims of extrajudicial killing who were brutally slain. “The cases involved individuals who were tortured to death, beheaded, hogtied and dumped in a shallow grave, among others,” Palabay added.
These documented cases do not include the actions of the Armed Forces of the Philippines against the seven members of the New People’s Army in Lacub, Abra last September that violated International Humanitarian Law (IHL). Recca Noelle Monte did not die of gunshot wounds but through torture, her skull “crushed like eggshell”. The rest of the red fighters bore signs of torture and mutilation of the remains.
On April 27, 2014 Ricardo Tuazon, Sr., was hunting wild birds with son Ricardo Jr. and a neighbor in the forest of Nakabdong, Brgy. Anticala, Butuan City.
On their way home, Ricardo Jr. went back to the hunting ground because he left the bait they used for the wild birds. Ricardo Sr. and neighbor Jessan waited for him when suddenly the military, partly hidden from where they were, fired at them. Jessan ran but heard the thud of Ricardo Sr.’s body. Jessan saw where the bullet came from but he hurriedly ran. Ricardo Jr. heard the shots but decided to go back to the village and wait for his father and Jessan. But his father did not come home.
The following day, they went back to the site where Jessan last saw Ricardo Sr.’s body but it was not there anymore. After searching around the place, they found the body of Ricardo Sr. riddled with bullets. His intestines exposed, his face with large hole because of gunshots. Over the radio, the AFP’s Capt. Maglinao of the 29th IBPA claimed they killed a member of the New People’s Army.
Three months after Aquino was sworn into presidency, on September 10, 2010, Elmer Valdez of Bgy. Conconig East, Sta. Lucia, Ilocos Sur was reported missing. He was found dead three days after. His skull was crushed and all his teeth were missing, except two. He had wounds and scratches at the back, like he was dragged. There were gunshots on his buttocks covered with packaging tape. His abdomen was already bloated and the body was starting to decompose when found.
The villagers found Valdez’s remains at Bgy. Sapang, where a military operation by the 50th IB-PA happened on September 10. Bgy. Sapang is three kilometers away from Conconig East where Valdez was last seen. There was military deployment in Conconig East, Palali Norte and Sur and other neighboring villages as “back up” force for those at Bgy. Sapang.
Other documented cases of those brutally killed were: Datu Anting and Victor Freay (Davao del Sur), Genesis Ambason (Agusan del Sur), Martin Copino, Jemson Copino (Camarines Sur), Jovito Pajanustan (Northern Samar), Rudy and Rudyric Dejos (Davao del Sur), Rene Quirante (Negros Oriental), Freddie, Licuben and Eddie Ligiw (Abra), and Ely Oguis (Albay).
“All over the country, especially in areas considered as NPA stronghold, the monstrosity of the BS Aquino government and the AFP stands over the people. But the specter of BS Aquino being fired by his long-ignored bosses loomed large,” said Palabay. ###