Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio encourage the youth to learn from the country’s history, as she delivered her message during the 77th Commemoration of the Araw ng Kagitingan on Tuesday, April 9 at the Veterans Memorial Monument in Ponciano-Roxas Streets in Davao City.
Lumad kids throw birthday bash for Ka Satur
By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO
bulatlat.com
MANILA — Tribal school children who are seeking refuge at the University of the Philippines threw a humble surprise birthday party for former lawmaker and staunch rights activist Satur Ocampo, who turned 80 over the weekend.
“He does not look like his age, does he? He will be mistaken to be in his teens,” jested Caicai, one of the Lumad school children, during the short program.
Ocampo has been very active in seeking justice for displaced Lumad, who were forced to leave their homes and ancestral lands due to heavy militarization.
Last year, Ocampo was arrested when he, along a fact-finding mission, rescued Lumad children who were forcibly evacuating in Talaingod in Davao. He was consequently slapped with kidnapping and human trafficking charges as a result.
In today’s celebration, however, Lumad school children took turns in hugging the former lawmaker, thanking him for being an inspiration to their struggle for their rights and for their ancestral domains.
“He is quite known in Talaingod,” Lumad student Rorelyn Mandacawan told Bulatlat in a short interview.
Mandacawan is a cousin of one of the Lumad children that Ocampo and the rest of the fact finding mission rescued last year.
She said that their community was enraged over the trumped-up charges against the lawmaker. These charges, she added, must be dropped.
“It can be quite intimidating to stand next to him because I know how big his contribution is to the society. It reminds us that we need to struggle hard as well,” she said.
Among those present are human rights defenders from Karapatan, Desaparecidos, and Sandugo. They, too, were joined by cultural workers from Concerned Artists of the Philippines and journalists from various alternative news agencies such as Bulatlat, Kodao Productions, AlterMidya – People’s Media Network, and Alipato Media Monitoring and Training Center. (bulatlat.com)
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Paninira sa progresibo
Muli, sinasangkot ng rehimeng Duterte at militar nito ang sibilyang progresibong kilusan sa giyera kontra insurhensiya nito. Ang ibig sabihin lang nito, kasama sa pangunahing target ng giyera ang mismong mga sibilyang organisasyon na pinakamasugid sa pagtiligsa sa mga polisiya ng rehimen na kontra sa mga mamamayan.
Siyempre, nandiyan din ang pagpunta noong Pebrero ng delegasyon ng Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) at militar sa Europa para hilingin daw sa European Union na itigil ang pagpondo sa mga proyekto ng naturang mga progresibong organisasyon. Ayon sa mga ito, ginagamit lang daw ang pondo para sa “terorismo”.
Hindi lang ang mga organisasyong pinagbabantaan ng rehimen ang apektado sa ganitong mga paninira ng PCOO at militar sa European Union. Apektado nito lalo ang maraming programang kinalalahukan ng progresibong mga organisasyon para mapaglingkuran ang mardyinalisado at ineetsapuwerang mga sektor at lugar sa lipunang Pilipino. Pinakamaliwanag na halimbawa na niyan ang pagpondo sa ilang mga paaralang Lumad. Inamin mismo sa midya ng mga kinatawan ng mga organisasyong Europeo na kumukuha ng pondo sa European Union na para sa mga gawaing pangagrikultura at pangkabuhayan ang pondong ibinibigay nila sa mga paaralang Lumad.
Nakakaalarma na mas ginugusto pa ng militar at rehimeng Duterte na gawing mangmang, sakitin, at wala talagang akses sa iba’t ibang serbisyo dahil una, matagal na silang napabayaan ng gobyerno at, pangalawa, pati ang mga progresibong grupo at non-profit institutions na kumukuha ng pondo sa Europa para magserbisyo sa kanila, pagkakaitan na rin ng serbisyo.
Malinaw ang mensahe ng pag-atake sa mga proyekto ng mga progresibo na pinopondohan diumano ng European Union: Para patahimikin na ang naturang mga organisasyon na pinakamalakas na tumutuligsa sa rehimeng Duterte. Sa pagiisip ng mga ito, kung walang pondo ang mga organisasyon, wala itong kakayahang pumuna.
Hinihikayat ng progresibong mga grupo ang mga nagpopondo mula sa Europa ng mga proyektong ito na maging patas sa pagsusuri, at isaalang-alang na ginagawa lang ito ng rehimeng Duterte dahil di tumatahimik ang mga progresibo sa pagtutol sa pasistang diktadura niya. Katunayan, ang rehimen ang dapat imbestigahan — sa libu-libong pamamaslang at pangaabuso sa giyera kontra droga at kontra insurhensiya.
Hinihikayat ng mga grupo na ibaling sa rehimen ang imbestigasyon.
Probe reveals state security forces committed ‘murder, theft, other abuses’
“The horrific nature and extent of the victims’ wounds belie any claim that the force used against them was – by any stretch of the imagination – reasonable, and erodes the Philippine National Police’s credibility as to its claim that the killings were carried out under justifiable circumstances.”
Karapatan files complaints to UN officials vs military’s red-tagging
“The recent circus tour of the NTF in diplomatic missions in Europe is a mere frantic attempt by the Duterte government to discredit organizations such as Karapatan, Ibon and the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines, which are exposing the issues and crimes that this regime wants buried in this cycle of red-tagging. But this has serious implications, particularly with human rights defenders on the ground.”
By ANNE MARXZE D. UMIL
Bulatlat.com
MANILA – Human rights group Karapatan has acted against the accusations of the Armed Forces of the Philippines by filing complaints before the United Nations.
The group filed letters of allegation to the United Nations Special Rapporteurs on April 5 for cases of “threat, harassment and intimidation, particularly the red-tagging and terrorist-labelling of organizations, in line with the government’s counterinsurgency program.”
In its complaint, Karapatan said that under President Duterte’s government, “there is a surge in the violations on the right to freedom of association and of human rights defenders, including reprisals on those who engage with UN human rights mechanisms.”
Karapatan sent the complaints to UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders Mr. Michel Forst, UN SR on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association Mr. Clement Nyaletsossi Voule, and UN Assistant Secretary General for Human Rights Mr. Andrew Gilmour.
Systematic smear campaign
Karapatan noted that the smear campaign against their organization and others has become systematic after Duterte issued Executive Order No. 70 on Dec. 4, 2018 that created the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF).
According to the complaint, the NTF started making rounds in Europe beginning February this year. They began in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina on Feb. 14, for a reported meeting with the United Nations Working Group on Enforced Disappearance where they formally asked for the delisting of 600 cases of enforced and involuntary disappearances that occurred from 1975 to 2012.
It is in the same meeting where Brig. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr., assistant deputy Chief of Staff for Operations of the AFP mentioned Karapatan and Ibon Foundation as “organizations of the Communist Party of the Philippines.”
“The sources of data have other interests and agenda, that is to really destroy government. We believe that it is so because we already saw the trend where information is coming from Ibon, from Karapatan, these are all organizations of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP),” said Parlade pertaining to the data on enforced and involuntary disappearances filed by the groups in the UN.
The NTF also reportedly went to meet Belgian government officials, members of the European Union Parliament and Gilles de Kerchove, EU Counter-Terrorism Coordinator of the European Council on Feb. 18. It is in this meeting where the NTF alleged Karapatan, Ibon Foundation and Rural Missionaries of the Philippines as front organizations of the CPP and called the EU to stop the release of funds to the said groups.
Up to now the AFP has stood by its allegations against Karapatan and others. Just recently in his speaking engagement in Milipol Asia-Pacific 2019 Conference in Singapore, Parlade implicated the International League of People’s Struggle, the chairperson of which is Professor Jose Maria Sison, as part of what he described as International Department of the CPP and referred to Karapatan and others as local organizations.
Meanwhile, evidences to prove that Karapatan and others are front organizations of CPP have yet to be disclosed by Parlade.
“The recent circus tour of the NTF in diplomatic missions in Europe is a mere frantic attempt by the Duterte government to discredit organizations such as Karapatan, Ibon and the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines, which are exposing the issues and crimes that this regime wants buried in this cycle of red-tagging. But this has serious implications, particularly with human rights defenders on the ground,” Karapatan secetrary general Cristina Palabay said in a statement.
There have already been 47 human rights defenders of Karapatan who were killed in line with their work.
International partner show support
Meanwhile, Viva Salud, a non-government organization in Belgium expressed their support to their partner, Karapatan.
In a statement, the group said they have been working with their partners in the Philippines for decades – financing their programs, building solidarity relations and helping them in other ways.
They added that as an NGO they are aware of their responsibility towards their donors. “We have our own monitoring system and procedures to ensure the quality of their work and the proper use of funds.”
They said that such allegation against groups like Karapatan is nothing new. Such attacks against these organizations and their members have already been arrested for being exposed by former UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions Philip Alston in his 2008 report on his mission to the Philippines, they added.
“That is also why we are cooperating with any efforts to refute the accusations against our partners. No evidence whatsoever has been made public to support these accusations against our partners. We are confident that no irregularities will be brought to light,” the group said.
It added, “Our only fear is for the physical integrity and safety of our friends and partners in the Philippines, whose courage and determination in the midst of these attacks is absolutely remarkable and deserves our unwavering solidarity.”
International partner of Alternative Learning Center for Agricultural and Livelihood Development (Alcadev), Solidagro, also expressed confidence that there are no irregularities in the implementation of the projects that they are funding. The AFP also alleged Alcadev as front organization of the CPP.
In a report, Solidagro, also a Belgian organization said that they conduct on-site visits where they inspect implementation of the program and its financial monitoring is also in place.
Karapatan and other non-government organizations maintained that it is not in any way connected nor they are a front organization of the CPP.
Karapatan also expressed its openness to be audited by the European Union and its member states.
“We will continuously denounce these desperate efforts, altogether challenging these malicious claims and smear campaign against our organization,” Palabay said.
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Negros killings | Urban poor cry for justice
By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO
Bulatlat.com
MANILA — Candles are lit for 14 peasants killed in Negros earlier this evening, Apr. 8, in Quezon City.
In a statement, Kadamay said they feel “deep kinship” towards farmers as many of them hailed from provinces, earning a living by tilling the land but their dire conditions forced to leave for Manila to find better job opportunities.
On March 30, 14 farmers were killed and 12 were arrested in three areas in Negros Oriental due to a police operation dubbed as Sauron.
Relatives of killed farmers decried the oft repeated narrative that they resisted arrest, much similar to how drug-related killings are being done in so-called legitimate police operations.
“Tokhang is no different from other killings under Duterte. Tokhang, it seems, is the means. But the target is those who dare to question this administration,” Kadamay chairperson Gloria Arellano.
Tokhang refers to the bloody drug war that President Rodrigo Duterte has launched, claiming the lives of nearly 30,000 poor Filipinos, alleged to be illegal drug users and peddlers.
Kadamay also called on the government yo address the Negros killings, instead of dismissing it as “leftist propaganda.”
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#JusticeForNegros14 | Probe reveals state security forces committed ‘murder, theft, other abuses’
(English translation) “I saw Papa being carried by his hands and feet by 4 policemen. When they reached a rocky area, they let go of his hands and dragged him towards their small truck. I saw Papa’s head hitting the rocks.”
“The horrific nature and extent of the victims’ wounds belie any claim that the force used against them was – by any stretch of the imagination – reasonable, and erodes the Philippine National Police’s credibility as to its claim that the killings were carried out under justifiable circumstances.”
By RONALYN V. OLEA
Bulatlat.com
MANILA – – A 53-member national fact-finding mission (NFFM) found state security forces involved in the March 30 operations in Negros Oriental liable for murder, theft and other rights abuses.
In its initial report sent to Bulatlat, the NFFM led by Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) said that eyewitnesses “clearly and categorically attested that what happened on March 30 were summary executions.”
The report revealed that all the 14 farmers killed in Canlaon City, Manjuyod and Sta. Catalina were unarmed and were already under the custody and control of state security forces when they were killed.
The mission underscored the fact that members of the raiding teams were in full battle gear, with their faces and their nameplates covered during the operations.
The NFFM said the use of deadly force was premeditated. Except for one, the victims were shot multiple times. The report cited the following:
• Valentin Acabal was shot in his genital area and his right thigh was riddled with bullets it was completely destroyed.
• Ismael Avelino’s torso had at least eight gunshots that his intestines burst out of his stomach
• Edgardo Avelino was shot twice in the chest and once in the center of the forehead
• Steve Arapoc was shot both in his back and chest while he was lying on the floor
“The horrific nature and extent of the victims’ wounds belie any claim that the force used against them was – by any stretch of the imagination – reasonable, and erodes the PNP’s credibility as to its claim that the killings were carried out under justifiable circumstances,” the report read.
(Courtesy of Altermidya People’s Media Network)
The NFFM said the raiding teams were also the ones who dragged the bodies of the victims out of the crime scenes. “Such disturbance of a crime scene is strictly prohibited as it removes potential evidence of foul play,” the report read.
The NFFM thus deemed that the removal of the bodies was “an effort to conceal the crimes committed.”
Replete with irregularities
The NFFM said the search warrants issued against the victims “were nothing more than a pretext for the conduct of the operation.”
In a press conference held April 8 in Bacolod City and streamed live on Facebook, Karapatan legal counsel Maria Sol Taule pointed out irregularities in the conduct of police operations.
The team found out that copies of search warrants were either given to the victims’ families only after the killings took place or such copies were never provided at all.
The NFFM noted the following irregularities in the search warrants:
– All were issued by a single judge, Jude Soliver C. Peras of Branch 10 Regional Trial Court of Cebu City. Standard court procedure requires applications for search warrants to be filed with the trial court which has jurisdiction over the territory where the crime is being committed.
– Search warrants fail to describe the places to be search with sufficient particularity, such as sketches or other details that should confine the search to a limited location. This violates a procedural requirement that search warrants must particularly describe the place to be searched.
– The search warrant against one of those arrested in Manjuyod, Nestor Kadusale, used false information. Police claimed that they conducted the surveillance and confirmed Kadusale’s possession of loose firearms on March 14, 2019, but records show that the request for Firearm Holder Verification filed with Camp Crame in Quezon City was made on March 8, six days before the actual surveillance.
The NFFM team also said that the raiding teams barged into the victims’ homes without giving prior announcement as to their presence and their intention to enforce the search warrants. The NFFM said this was a violation of an established rule that a law-enforcement officer may break into a house to execute the warrant only if he refused admittance to the place after giving notice of his purpose and authority.
Operatives also ordered the occupants to leave their houses as they supposedly searched the different rooms. The report said that both the rules of criminal procedure and the Philippine National Police’s operational rules strictly prohibit the conduct of a search of a house, room, or any other premises except in the presence of the lawful occupant, a member of his family or, in the absence of the latter, two witnesses of sufficient age and discretion residing in the same locality.
“With all the victims’ family members kept outside the premises, and the barangay officials arriving only hours after the raid and the purported search, the operatives involved therein were in clear breach of the aforementioned rules,” the report said.
Planting of evidence
The NFFM said that inventories of items allegedly confiscated from the victims’ houses were signed by barangay officials. Eyewitnesses, however, testified that these officials arrived only hours after the raid and the killings.
The victims’ family members also recounted that they were made to sign the same inventories. “These signatures, however, were procured under the most intimidating and coercive of circumstances, with dozens of masked men carrying high-powered firearms present, without the assistance of local officials or lawyers, after the raiding teams had carried out the executions, and with the family members fearing for their own lives,” the report said.
The NFFM also noted inconsistencies in the search warrants used against the victims and the inventories of items allegedly confiscated from the houses of those killed and arrested. For instance, the search warrant against Steve Arapoc claimed that he was in possession of one (1) .45 caliber pistol; yet, the raiding team claim they found one (1) .38 caliber pistol.
Theft, other abuses
The NFFM also found out that operatives stole money and valuables in the total amount of P167,300 from the families of Sonny Palagtiw, Valentin Acabal, Edgardo Avelino, Armogena Caballero and Steve Arapoc.
The victims’ family members were also subjected to physical abuse and the unnecessary use of force, the NFFM said.
Arapoc’s younger brother, Mc Khillif Jun, was assaulted and handcuffed while his sister, Keren Arapoc, was harassed when a male member of the raiding team profusely frisked her entire body.
The NFFM also lamented the trauma inflicted on family members, especially minors.
Franklin Lariosa’s four-year-old son was right beside him when he was shot and killed by the raiding team.
• Edgardo Avelino’s 16-year-old daughter suffered a nervous breakdown after the incident.
• Ismael Avelino’s children, aged ten and five years old were forced out of the room just before their father was shot multiple times while lying in his bed.
• Three of Steve Arapoc’s 10 siblings – aged 14, 10, and 6 – were also in the house when Arapoc was shot several times while lying in the living room.
Lucia Francisco of Gabriela, a member of the NFFM, said that the trauma being experienced by the victims’ families, especially the children, is so deep. “What they need now is psycho-social therapy,” she said during the press conference.
Those arrested, meanwhile, were not informed of their rights as cited in Miranda doctrine.
Danilo Ramos, KMP chairperson, called for justice for the victims. He said that all those involved in the March 30 operations dubbed as Operation Sauron must be held accountable.
The NFFM noted that Oplan Sauron has killed a total of 21 individuals killed in several Negros Oriental towns since December 2018.
The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas said these joint police and military operations conducted under the guise of anti-criminality are directed against individuals who are members of mass organizations.
The NFFM noted that the victims were branded as New People’s Army fighters or supporters. It said that the March 30 operations were part of the implementation of President Duterte’s Executive Order 70 establishing a whole-of-nation approach in ending local insurgency and the Memorandum Order 32 placing Negros Island, Bicol, and Samar, under the “state of emergency.”
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PCIJ to Duterte: Don’t lose your cool, explain wealth
The Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) responded on President Rodrigo Duterte’s “broadsides” against the investigative report on the wealth of his family, clarifying that their report was based on official government records.