69th IB-Army massacred peasant, IP leaders; 2 still missing

APPEAL FOR ACTION

THREE CIVILIANS MASSACRED BY 69th IB-PA,  12-YEAR-OLD CHILD WOUNDED AND WOMAN LUMAD LEADER, HUSBAND STILL MISSING

Dear Friends, 

Please join us in our call to immediately surface woman Lumad leader Aida Seisa and husband Henry and justice for the killing of tribal chieftain Datu Ruben Laydan Enlog, Jr., Randy Lavarcon Carnasa, and Oligario Quimbo by elements of the “Palparan battalion” 69th Infantry Battalion- Philippine Army (IBPA). Seisa’s house was strafed on June 14 in Paquibato, Davao City. 

Chronology of Events 

On June 10-12, 2015, Aida Seisa, spokesperson of Paquibato District Peasant Alliance (PADIPA), led a fact-finding mission to check on reports of aerial bombings and a series of human rights violations, including military encampments of the notorious 69th (IBPA) in several communities in Sitio Quimotod, Barangay Fatima, Paquibato District. A resident of Paquibato District, Seisa is familiar with the situation of the communities, thus, she gave the participants security guidelines  safety in the conduct of the mission. 

On June 12, news broke out that the 69th IBPA filed criminal charges at the City Prosecution Office in Davao Cityagainst the “12 members of the New People’s Army”, including Aida Seisa. The 12 were charged with murder and frustrated murder in relation to the May 6, 2015 encounter between military troops and NPA at Brgy. Dalagdag, Calinan District, Davao City.

 

Despite the case, Aida preferred to join the team back to Davao City to help consolidate  the data they gathered during the mission. She also attended an activity on June 13 at the evacuation center where Lumad from Talaingod and Kapalong, Davao del Norte are seeking refuge. 

In the afternoon, after the activity, Seisa insisted to go home in Paquibato because it was her daughter’s 12th birthday. Her colleagues warned and discouraged her, citing threats from the 69th IB against her. 

Seisa arrived home in Purok 7, Brgy. Paradise Embac at around 9 p.m.  and saw her family preparing food for a simple birthday celebration for daughter Chingching. Also at the house were Oligario Quimbo, a miner and a co-worker  of Henry, Aida’s husband. Datu Ruben Enlog, tribal leader, also joined in the celebration with his son, “Nonoy” (not real name).  A close  ‘kumpare’ Randy Carnasa, former purok (sub-village) leader was also there. 

The adults talked about Aida’s situation, especially of the charges she faces in court. 

At midnight, “Nonoy” came out of the house to urinate. He heard a single shot and the sodium light along the road in front of Seisa’s house went off. After a few seconds, a volley of gunfire directed at the Seisa residence erupted. “Nonoy” immediately dropped-off the ground and crawled to a waiting shed, about 15 meters from Seisa’s house. While he was crawling, he heard the people inside the house shouting. He heard Randy shouted, “Tama na sir, mga sibilyan mi! Tabaaaang!!!!” (Sir, please stop, we are all civilians! Heeelp!!!!) But the shooting did not stop. It lasted for 30 minutes. 

There was no encounter, there was no exchange of fire. 

By sunrise, June 14, bodies of Ruben Laydan Enlog, Jr., Randy Lavarcon Carnasa, Oligario Quimbo were found lifeless. Randy’s body was in front of Seisa’s house in a crawling position, with two landmines, of about three kilos each, beside him. Randy was covered with blood oozing from his left shoulder. Datu Ruben and Oligario were found a few meters away from Randy. 

The army was quick to cover up the massacre by planting the three landmines, weighing three kilos each, one grenade, an M14 rifle, and an M1 Garand at the scene to justify its claim that those killed were members of the New People’s Army. 

At the crime scene, the soldiers from 69th IBPA stayed and surrounded Seisa’s residence. They barred the residents from going near the dead bodies as well as Seisa’s house. 

Aida, Henry, their three daughters, and some guests who came that night managed to run away and survived the incident. However, as of July 19,  Aida Seisa and husband Henry’s are still missing. Their three children were able to seek refuge elsewhere. 

Recommended Action:

Send letters, emails or fax messages calling for/on:

1. The immediate sufarcing of Aida Seisa and Henry Seisa.
2. The Philippine Government to withdraw its troops, the 69th IBPA in Paquibato District 
3. The immediate formation of an independent fact-finding and investigation team composed of representatives from human rights groups, the Church, local government, and the Commission on Human Rights to investigate the massacre. 
4. Philippine Government to end the counterinsurgency program Oplan Bayanihan, which victimizes innocent and unarmed civilians.
5. The Philippine Government to be reminded that it is a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and that it is also a party to all the major Human Rights instruments, thus it is bound to observe all of these instruments’ provisions.

You may send your communications to the following agencies through mail, e-mail or fax:

H.E. Benigno C. Aquino III

President of the Republic

Malacañang Palace,

JP Laurel St., San Miguel

Manila Philippines

Voice: (+632) 564 1451 to 80

Fax: (+632) 742-1641 / 929-3968

E-mail: op@president.gov.ph

Sec. Teresita Quintos-Deles

Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process

Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP)

7th Floor Agustin Building I

Emerald Avenue

Pasig City 1605

Voice:+63 (2) 636 0701 to 066

Fax:+63 (2) 638 2216

stqd.papp@opapp.gov.ph 

Ret. Lt. Gen. Voltaire T. Gazmin

Secretary, Department of National Defense

Room 301 DND Building, Camp Emilio Aguinaldo,

E. de los Santos Avenue, Quezon City

Voice:+63(2) 911-6193 / 911-0488 / 982-5600

Fax:+63(2) 982-5600

Email: osnd@philonline.com, dnd.opla@gmail.com 

Atty. Leila De Lima

Secretary, Department of Justice

Padre Faura St., Manila

Direct Line 521-1908 

Trunkline  523-84-81 loc.211/214

Fax: (+632) 523-9548

Email:  lmdelima@doj.gov.ph, lmdelima.doj@gmail.com, lmdelima.doj2@gmail.com

 

Hon.  Jose Luis Martin Gascon 

Chairperson, Commission on Human Rights

SAAC Bldg., UP Complex

Commonwealth Avenue

Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines

Voice: (+632) 928-5655, 926-6188

Fax: (+632) 929 0102

Please send us a copy of your email/mail/fax to the above-named government officials, to our address below.

URGENT ACTION Prepared by:

KARAPATAN Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights

National Office

2/F Erythrina Bldg., #1 Maaralin cor Matatag Sts., Brgy. Central, 

Diliman, Quezon City 1100 PHILIPPINES

Voice/Fax: (+632) 435 4146

Email: urgentaction@karapatan.org; karapatan@karapatan.org 

Website: www.karapatan.org