An environmentalist and anti-mining activist Romeo Rivera Jr., 53, now face at least four criminal charges filed against Felix Armodia, allegedly the Front Secretary of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army in Davao del Sur, South Cotabato, and Tulunan, North Cotabato.
An environmentalist and anti-mining activist Romeo Rivera Jr., 53, now face at least four criminal charges filed against Felix Armodia, allegedly the Front Secretary of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army in Davao del Sur, South Cotabato, and Tulunan, North Cotabato.
Rivera, Jr. was illegally arrested by elements of the 39th IB-Philippine Army and is now charged with Slight Illegal Detention, Robbery with Violence, Murder, and Murder with Frustrated Murder. The name Romeo Rivera did not appear on any of the warrants presented to the victim.
“How much is it, this time? Is the promised military aid from the US not enough to fill the AFP’s war chest?” asked Karapatan secretary general Cristina Palabay. “This racket is a display both of the AFP’s greed and desperation to go after its perceived enemies to protect the plunderers. Malinaw kung sino at ano ang pinapanginoon ng mga militar na ito (It’s obvious who and what the military worships),” she added.
Rivera Jr., is a carpenter and technician in a VermiCulture project of the Department of Agriculture in Tampakan. He is among the convenors of the Tampakan Panalipdan (Defend Tampakan), an environmentalist group opposed to the large-scale mining operation of Glencore Xstrata Sagittarius Mines Inc. (SMI) in their area.
Rivera is the third Karapatan-documented case of illegal arrest and false charges because of mistaken identity. There was security guard Rolly Panesa who was captured and tortured because he was mistaken to be “Benjamin Mendoza” allegedly a CPP leader in Southern Luzon. Palabay also cited the case of farmer Olegario Sevas, 65, who was illegally arrested on December 25, 2011 in Negros Oriental by elements of the AFP and PNP because he was mistaken to be “Filemon Mendrez,” purportedly a leader of the NPA. The warrant of arrest issued against Sevas did not bear his name.
“Benjamin Mendoza” had Php 5.6 million and “Filemon Mendrez” Php 5.25 million on their heads as reward for their capture. The reward system is contained in a hitlist of the Department of National Defense and the Department of Interior and Local Governments known as Joint Order Number 14-2012.
On May 2, at around 1:30pm, Rivera was forcibly taken from his home at Sitio San Antonio, Purok Lower San Juan, Barangay San Roque, Koronadal City. The armed men were on board two white Hilux vehicles with “for registration” plate and one gray Tamaraw FX van with plate number NIC 316.
On the way to Digos City, Rivera was alternately threatened and convinced to admit he was Armodia. One of his abductors told him his case would be reduced if he cooperated, while another threatened to kill him.
Palabay said, “There are at least 10 documented victims of extrajudicial killings in the Tampakan area related to the operation of the Glencore Xstrata Sagittarius Mines Inc. (SMI). Let us not forget the massacre of the Capion family, Juvy and her two children Jordan and Jan-Jan.” The Capions are known defenders of the Blaan ancestral lands now occupied by the mining company. ###