PNP officers are a bunch of liars

February 18, 2008
Reference: Mary Guy Portajada (09058234907)
Lorena Santos (09186615099)

PNP officers are a bunch of liars

“They are a bunch of bumbling liars,” Lorena Santos, daughter of detained National Democratic Front consultant Elizabeth Principe quoted her mother as she referred to the three officers of the Philippine National Police who took the stand at the hearing at the Appellate Court this morning.

At the fourth hearing at the CA Special 8th Division for the petitions for Writ of Amparo and Habeas Corpus for Principe and missing husband Leo Velasco, the police presented Police Supt. Aunorio Agnila, Chief of South Metro Manila Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), SPO4 Cecillia Garcia and SPO2 Andy Palmiano who were supposedly among Principe’s five arresting officers.

Agnila appeared today for the second time, while Garcia and Palmiano took the stand for the first time. Santos said they were obviously tense and nervous.

Santos said that her mother told her she met Garcia when she was turned over by her arresting officers to the CIDG Custodial Center on Dec. 1, while she saw Agnila and Palmiano only during the court hearings.

“During the two previous hearings, it was already established in court that Mrs. Principe was illegally arrested,” Atty. Rachel Pastores of Public Interest Law Center explains.

Col. Agnila admitted in court during the February 14 hearing that his group did not present a warrant of arrest when they arrested Principe. Agnila also admitted that Principe was not provided a lawyer after her arrest.

“Col. Agnila, SPO4 Garcia and SPO2 Palmiano claimed that they were part of the arrest operation of the CIDG, but they gave inconsistent statements!” Atty. Pastores said. When asked about the time when the briefing for the arrest was made, the answers were hours apart from each other. Agnila said the briefing was at 8am, Palmiano said it was at 9:30 am, while Garcia said it was at 10:30 am. The three officers also gave inconsistent statements on the hour the arrest was made and on the circumstances of the actual arrest.

“My mother should now be freed,” Lorena Santos, daughter of Principe and Velasco claims. “I trust that the court realizes that these police officers are lying, and the arrest of my mother was proved illegal,” Lorena says further. “I just hope that the court proceedings will not take too long because my mother has already suffered too much in jail. She, too, like me, misses my father, whom both of us have to look for,” Lorena explains.

Razon, Malacañang et al caught lying through their teeth

7 February 2008
Reference: Mary Guy Portajada,
Desaparecidos Spokesperson
Mobile No. 09058234907 Telefax 4342837

It’s the season of lies and deceit
Razon, Malacañang et al caught lying through their teeth

The families of victims of enforced disappearance today commiserates with surfaced ZTE scandal witness Rodolfo Lozada Jr. and urge him to be strong enough to tell his story, and prove how the Arroyo regime and its cohorts lied through their teeth.

“We commend Mr. Lozada for taking courage to tell the truth in spite of what he and his family had gone through in the hands of state security agents,” said Mary Guy Portajada, spokesperson of the Families of Desaparecidos for Justice or Desaparecidos. “He may not be like other abduction victims who are activists and had been branded as ‘terrorists’, but he, too was targeted to be silenced by government agents because he was a witness to the Arroyo regime’s corruption,” she added.

Portajada said that Philippine National Police Chief Avelino Razon, Jr’s line about Lozada “requesting protection” is the same lie the police gives when they surface abduction victims after days of interrogation, torture and incommunicado detention.

“It’s the standard line of the PNP and AFP in order to evade accountability on the human rights violations they committed. They force the victim to sign waivers, write ‘request letters,’ to mouth their lines and claim that the victims were ‘treated well’,” Portajada said. In many cases, the PNP would not even inform the victim’s family that they have custody, or would even refuse to let the victim be visited by his/her family. Some of the victims would be too scared for their lives and that of their family that they would actually refuse to leave police or army custody.

“Truly, the Lozada abduction shows to the public that this regime has no compunction in violating the human rights of the people. If a rich and powerful person like Mr. Lozada can be made to disappear in such brazen fashion, in the airport, then how much more the ordinary people and persons this regime labels as “terrorists,” “destabilizers,” or “enemies of the state,” Portajada added.

Portajada said that state security forces had abducted many other victims with the same brazenness, with the abductors even using fake names to dodge responsibility. Under the Arroyo regime, a total of 177 victims were abducted and are still missing. ##

‘I hope to see my parents free’

4 February 2008
Reference: Mary Guy Portajada,
Desaparecidos Spokesperson
Mobile No. 09058234907 Telefax 4342837

Writ of Amparo hearing for Elizabeth Principe and Leo Velasco
‘I hope to see my parents free’

The daughter of National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) consultants Elizabeth Principe and Leo Velasco expressed hopes that the writ of amparo will help her set both her parents free. Today, the Court of Appeals Special 8th Division opens the hearing on the writ of amparo filed by Lorena Santos, 25, daughter of the said NDFP consultants.

Lorena is optimistic that the writ of amparo will lead the way for her father’s surfacing, and for her mother’s release.

“I believe that my father is still alive in the hands of the military. I look forward to seeing him again,” Lorena said. She cited the case of Manalo brothers Reynaldo and Raymund who were kept alive in incommunicado detention for 19 months by their military captors. Leo was abducted on Feb. 19, 2007 in Cagayan de Oro City by armed men suspected to be elements of the Crime Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Lorena’s mother Elizabeth, 56, had been detained at the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame since her abduction on Nov. 28, 2007 as she came out of a diagnostic clinic in Cubao, Quezon City.

“The military arrested my mother illegally and without a warrant. Now they are keeping her in detention by charging her with cases which were already dismissed and which do not even bear her name as respondent. They have no basis to keep my mother in detention,” Lorena said.

Lorena was accompanied at the hearing by human rights workers and other families of the disappeared.

“We join and support Lorena’s struggle to free her mother and surface her father. Each family’s struggle is also the struggle of all families of the disappeared,” said Mary Guy Portajada, spokesperson of the Families of the Desaparecidos for Justice or Desaparecidos.

As NDFP consultants, both Leo and Elizabeth should be protected by the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG) signed by the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the NDFP on February 24,1995. ##

KIN OF MISSING NDFP CONSULTANT FILES AMPARO PETITION

PRESS RELEASE
January 19, 2008
REFERENCE: Mary Guy Portajada ( 0905-823-4907 )
DESAPARECIDOS – Pamilya ng Desaparecidos para sa Katarungan

KIN OF MISSING NDFP CONSULTANT FILES AMPARO PETITION
Families hope writ of amparo will lead to surfacing Prudencio Calubid et al

Today, the families of missing National Democratic Front consultant and his companions filed with the Regional Trial Court Branch 51 a petition for their release and other relief. With this, the families rekindle hopes to still find NDF consultant Prudencio Calubid and wife Celina Palma, their niece Gloria Soco and NDFP staff Ariel Beloy, who have all been missing for 19 months.

“The recent surfacing of abduction victims by the military renewed our hopes that we will still find them,” said Mary Guy Portajada, spokesperson of the Families of the Desaparecidos for Justice or Desaparecidos.

The petitioner, Eugenio Soco Jr., son of Gloria Soco, was joined by other families of the missing (desaparecidos). The petition asks for the consolidation of the habeas corpus petition with that of the petition for the writ of amparo since this case involves the disappearance or possible extrajudicial or summary killing of the victims.

Specifically, the writ of amparo is sought for the immediate release of the victims if still alive; or if dead, for the respondents to pinpoint the places where their remains were placed or buried; to inspect places of detention of several camps; to produce data and/or information that the respondent military units may have on the victims and reparation to their relatives.

In July 2006, the Calubid and Palma families petitioned for a writ of habeas corpus with the Supreme Court, but this was dismissed by the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 51 on October 17, 2007. In late 2007, the same Court approved the motion for reconsideration for the habeas petition.

On June 26, 2006, the four victims were on board an A-2000 Mazda van and driving along the Maharlika highway in Sipocot, Camarines Sur when they were blocked by uniformed soldiers on board a red Tamaraw FX and four Toyota Revos. Also abducted along with the four was Antonio Lacno, who was able to escape and had given an account of how they were blindfolded and handcuffed, brought to several places where they were interrogated and tortured. When they were brought outside of one of these places on June 28, Lacno sensed that they were going to be killed and he was able to escape.

Calubid’s niece Gloria, was to visit her ailing father in Samar, and had only hitched a ride with the group.

Calubid had been charged with rebellion at least twice by the Department of Justice, all in 2006. He was among those charged with rebellion along with the Batasan 6, and was yet again charged along with the rebel soldiers.

“The Armed Forces of the Philippines cannot deny its culpability in the 184 cases of enforced disappearances. Only the AFP would have the motive to abduct these victims, especially the NDFP consultants like Calubid, Leo Velasco and the others whom they have named in their order of Battle, and are now disappeared,” Portajada said.

Portajada noted that the NDFP consultants who were abducted in 2006 remain missing up to now, namely: Rogelio Calubad and his son Gabriel, Philip Limjoco, Leopoldo Ancheta, Rolando Porter and Cesar Batralo. Also, still missing is Leo Velasco who was abducted on February 19, 2007. ###

Surface my father, son of suspected CPP rebel pleas

Press Release Reference: Jigs Clamor
January 15, 2008 Mobile No. +639189790580


Surface my father, son of suspected CPP rebel pleas
Kin and rights group deplored Pernia’s incommunicado detention

The family of the arrested suspected communist rebel Iglecerio “Ka Choy” Pernia today appealed to the Armed Forces of the Philippines to surface him and respect his right to due process. The AFP denied having Pernia in custody at the Camp Aguinaldo days after his arrest in Bulacan on Jan. 9.

“Why are they hiding Papa from us?” said a frustrated Roberto, son of Pernia who failed to see his father yesterday as officials of the Intelligence Service Group of the AFP (ISAFP) refused to confirm where was being detained. As of this writing, the ISAFP has finally confirmed that they have Pernia but his family is yet to see him.

The younger Pernia and other relatives came all the way from Bicol yesterday to visit his detained father, after Bicol PNP spokesperson Sr. Superintendent Eliciar Bron confirmed to media that he was brought to ISAFP headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo.

“I’m hoping against hope that they will surface Papa unscathed, given the military’s notoriety in torturing their captives,” he added. Pernia also lamented how his father was maligned in the media by the AFP, who called Pernia a “gambler and extortionist.”

“They pictured him in bad light, when it was them who violated the laws and my father’s rights as a detained person,” said the younger Pernia.

Meanwhile, Jigs Clamor, KARAPATAN deputy secretary general lambasted the AFP for intentionally hiding Pernia from his family.

“Aside from the brazen extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances carried out by the AFP, they have time and again violated the rights of arrested persons,” Clamor said. He cited the case of NDF consultant Elizabeth Principe whom the AFP also denied having in custody, but had actually detained incommunicado from Nov. 28 until she was presented to the media on Dec. 1.

“How much intelligence does the ISAFP need to be able to confirm if an arrested person was in their custody?” Clamor commented. ###

Sinong susunod na iwawala?

Nabalitaan mo ba ang huling nangyaring pagdukot? Posibleng kakilala ng kakilala mo ang biktima, o nangyari ito sa lugar na alam mo. O siguro ay hindi mo kilala ang dinukot, at iniisip mong malayong mangyari ito sa iyo, sa pamilya o kaibigan mo, o kahit kaninong kakilala mo. Kasi nga ay mga aktibista lang ang dinudukot, mga “kaaway ng gobyerno.”

Nagkakamali ka. Kahit sino, pwedeng maging biktima ng sapilitang pagkawala. Umaabot na nga sa halos 2,000 katao mula nang panahon ng Diktadurang Marcos hanggang sa kasalukuyan. Oo, karamihan sa mga biktima ay mga aktibista o miyembro ng organisasyon. Pero marami rin ang nagkataong kaanak lang ng aktibista, tulad ni Romulos Robiños na isang taon nang nawawala sa Pampanga, o katulad ni Gerardo Nawe na dinukot at nawala noong Martial Law matapos mapag-initan ng anak ng militar sa isang club sa Maynila. Pati bata, hindi sinasanto, tulad ni Mary Jane Opo, 14 anyos, dinukot kasama ng kanyang tiyahin nitong Enero. At ang magkakapatid na mga batang Fabella na kasama ang kanilang mga magulang na dinukot ng mga sundalo sa Samar.
Pwersahang kinuha, at itinago, pinahirapan, ininteroga, at kung buhay man o patay, ang mga gumawa lang ng krimen ang nakakaalam. Iyan ang SAPILITANG PAGKAWALA, ang pinakamalalang anyo ng paglabag sa karapatan pantao. Paglabag ito sa karapatan ng indibidwal sa due process , karapatan laban sa iligal na pag-aresto, arbitraryong pagkakulong at tortyur, karapatan sa kalayaan, sa buhay. Pati na ang karapatan laban sa pagkasalaula ng bangkay ay nilalabag. Nilalabag din ang karapatan ng pamilya ng biktima, na naiiwan sa walang-katapusang paghahanap at pag-aalala sa kaanak nila. Napakasakit mawalan ng mahal sa buhay, at mas lalo na dahil hindi matiyak ang kinasapitan ng biktima.

Sinong gumagawa nito? Sino ba ang nakikinabang sa bawat aktibista o organisador na mawala? Malinaw na tinutukoy sa United Nations Convention for the Protection of All Persons against Enforced Disappearance na ang sapilitang pagkawala ay ipinapatupad ng mga tauhan o opisyal ng gobyerno o sinumang kumakatawan sa gobyerno, na sadyang itinatanggi na may kinalaman sila sa pagkawala ng biktima. Sa Pilipinas, nagpakahusay na ang militar sa pagpapatupad nito, kaya nagagawang walang bakas, walang ebidensya, walang testigo sa pagdukot. Ginagawa rin ito ng pulis at CAFGU. At kung me testigo man, mas madalas na tinatakot, o dinudukot din.

Kahit isang maysala sa mga kaso ng pagkawala, wala pang nahahatulan ng korte at napaparusahan.

Sa mga nangyaring mga pagdukot ng militar kamakailan, inililitaw nila ang mga biktima, pero matapos paranasin ng matinding pananakot, saykolohikal at pisikal na pagpapahirap, tulad ni Pastor Berlin Guerrero na dinukot nitong Mayo sa Cavite, pero patuloy na ikinukulong dahil sa mga pekeng kaso. Si Lourdes Rubrico, isang 63-anyos na lider maralitang lunsod, ay hinimok namang maging espiya sa mga kasamahan niya, at nagkunwa siyang pumayag dito para lang makawala.

Pati ang writ of amparo – ang kautusang inilabas ng Korte Suprema at naging epektibo nitong Oktubre – ay sinisikutan ng mga militar para palabasing wala silang ginawang paglabag sa karapatan. Gaya ng ginawang paglilitaw kay Ruel Muñasque na dinukot ng mga paramilitia sa checkpoint, ilang araw na itinago sa naghahanap niyang pamilya, at inilabas na lang matapos magpetisyon para sa writ of amparo ang mga kaanak niya. Si Luicito Bustamante ng Davao, ang pamilyang Malapote, ang dalawang pinaghihinalaang rebelde sina Jeffrey Panganiban at Juvy Ortiz sa Quezon – silang lahat ay inilitaw ng mga militar na dumukot sa kanila matapos magpetisyon ang mga kaanak nila, pero lahat sila, noong una, ay humiling na manatili sa “kustodiya” ng militar. Ikaw man ang pwersahang dakpin, itago sa pamilya, pahirapan nang ilang araw, sa sobrang takot, gagawin mo na ang lahat para lang mabuhay. At iyan ang pinanghahawakan ng mga militar na gumagawa ng mga pagdukot: ang naiiwang takot.

Pero hindi nawawalan ng pananagutan sa krimen ang mga militar kahit pa inilabas nila ang mga biktima. Mas lalo pa ngang napapatunayan na militar ang gumagawa ng mga pagdukot at sapilitang pagkawala, ng mga interogasyon at pagtortyur, sa loob ng mga pasilidad ng gobyerno, kampo ng militar, at gamit ang mga rekurso ng gobyerno.

Sa isang desisyon ng Court of Appeals, sinabi nitong hindi pwedeng isama si Gloria Arroyo bilang respondent sa petisyon para sa amparo, dahil daw sa immunity nito sa mga habla. Pero bilang commander-in-chief ng Armed Forces of the Philippines na siyang sinisisi sa mga pagkawala, hindi ba’t dapat din siyang managot?

Sa ilalim ng rehimen ni Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, daan-daan na ang dinukot: ang mga pinalad ay buhay pero ikinulong. Ang iba’y inilitaw ang bangkay, at kabilang na sa 887 biktima ng extrajudicial na pamamaslang. Ang biktima ng sapilitang pagkawala ay umabot na sa 185, mga pinaghahanap pa rin at di tukoy ang kinasapitan.

Mahigit 700 ang biktima ng sapilitang pagkawala noong Martial Law ni Marcos, mahigit 800 sa ilalim ng Rehimeng Aquino. Tinatawag silang desaparecidos, ang salitang Kastila para sa “mga nawawala” at ginamit na termino sa Latin America kung saan libu-libo ang naging biktima sa ilalim ng mga pasistang rehimen. Ang sapilitang pagkawala ay bahagi ng patakarang ipinapatupad ng isang gobyerno na layong supilin ang mamamayan. Ganito ang kalagayan natin sa ilalim ng ilehitimong Rehimeng Arroyo, na nilalabag ang lahat ng karapatan ng mamamayan para lang makapanatili sa poder.

Paano matitigil ang sapilitang pagkawala? Ano ang magagawa ng karaniwang taong tulad mo? Makiisa sa mga panawagan para sa pagpapatigil sa sapilitang pagkawala. Suportahan ang panukalang batas sa Kongreso para sa pagpaparusa sa mga nagsasagawa ng krimeng ito. Suportahan ang panawagang ratipikahin ng gobyerno ng Pilipinas ang UN Convention para sa proteksyon ng lahat laban sa sapilitang pagkawala. Makiisa sa pagpapatalsik sa ilehitimong rehimeng Arroyo.

KARAPATAN

“KARAPATAN”

Ikaw ay isinilang, kakambal ng iyong karapatan
Magulang mo ay nasa tabi, para ikaw ay protektahan
Tulad din sila ng karamihan, ni langaw di ka padadapuan
Higit pa doon, di papayag na ikaw ay masaktan.

Sa paglipas ng panahon, ikaw ay laging ginagibayan
Sa landas na tinatahak, patuloy ka nilang inaalalayan
Tagubilin lang sa’yo at lagi mo sanang pakatandaan
“Mag-ingat ka lagi anak,” iya’y ‘wag mong kalilimutan.

Maging kami man, mga sinambit mo’y pingdaanan
Pag-alala ng magulang ngayo’y aming nararanasan
Sa aming mga anak na minahal namin nang lubusan
Buhay ma’y itataya para sa kanilang kaligtasan.

Ngayo’y may mga magulang na inagawan ng karapatan
Sa mga anak nila na pinaka-iingat-ingatan
Mga anak na nawala’t kinuha nang sapilitan
Ng mga armadong militar, dinukot nang walang laban.

Mga magulang na luhaan, sa pagkawalay ng mahal na anak
Patuloy sa paghahanap, sa mga lugar na kaligtasa’y di tiyak
Katuwirang di bale nang buhay nila ay mapahamak
Ang makita at mayakap lamang ang minamahal nilang anak.

Sa panahon ng pag-iyak, paninimdim ay di sumapat
Naghihimagsik na damdamin, pag-iisip ay iminulat
Tama na ang pagluha, pagkilos na ang nararapat
Lumantad at lumaban, karapatan ay isiwalat.

Ngayon mga kabataan, kayo ay magiging magulang din
Pag-aalala sa anak ay madarama n’yo rin
Damhin n’yo nang maaga, nagpupuyos naming damdamin
Karapatang aming ipinglalaban, dapat n’yong alamin.

Sa estado ng lipunang ginagalawan natin
Kasama sa plano, karapatan ng mga maliliit ay sikilin
Nitong mga gahaman at buwaya sa bansa natin
Panggigipit at pagpapahirap, ito y pigilan natin.

Ang hubaran ng karapatan, ito’y ‘wag nating pahintulutan
Pagka’t ang mabuhay nang malaya ay karapatan ng bawat isa sa atin
Karapatang labanan, usigin mga nagsasamantala sa atin
karapatang taglay natin, ipaglaban saan man makarating!

LUHA ANG KAPILING

“LUHA ANG KAPILING”

Binabaybay landas na walang katiyakan
Bigat yaring dibdib, parang may nakadagan
Pakay sa paghahanap, dalanginay matagpuan
Mahal namin sa buhay kinuha nang sapilitan.

Larawan ng nawalay, tuwina’y tinutunghayan
Kaya’t itong luha’y, dumadaloy nang di namamalayan
Paano kaya sila madadamayan at matutulungan
Kung sila’y sinasaktan at pinapahirapan.

Mga impit na hikbi sa kalaliman ng gabi
Parang inakay na walang inahin sa tabi
Hinihimaymay bawat hibla ng pangyayari
Kung ano ang pagkukulang at pagkakamali.

Mga patak ng luha’y kay hirap pigilin
Mga tanong sa sarili’y kayhirap sagutin
Katulad ng iba pang patuloy na naninimdim
Umaasang isang araw sila ay darating.

Sa karanasa’y luha ang naging kandungan
Ng mga masasayang alaalang nasadlak sa kalungkutan
Ginugunita na lamang panahong may kagalakan
Agos nitong ilog sa mga mata namin dumaan.

Sandigan ng kahinaan ay kanilang katapangan
Pakikipagtunggali sa ngalan ng karapatan
Larangan ng pakikipaglaban, walang kasiguruhan
Pumapanday sa tama upang sa masa ay ipaalam.

NGAYON ANG MGA LUHANG DATI SA PISNGI UMAAGOS
NATUYO’T NAGPATIGAS NITONG DAMDAMING HUMUHULAGPOS
NATUTONG ITAAS YARING KAMAONG NAGPUPUYOS
GALIT SA NANGINGIBABAW
LALABAN NA TULAD NG ISANG UNOS!

DESAPARECIDOS

“DESAPARECIDOS”
Mga Pamilya ng Sapilitang Pagdukot

Bandilang itim na aming iwinawagayway
Simbolo ng paninimdim at pagkalumbay
Damdaming nangungulila sa mga mahal namin sa buhay
Ipagpapatuloy kanilang laban, ituring man kaming kaaway.

Desaparecidos, mga nag-iingay sa lansangan
Kinukunan ng video minsan ay nasa pahayagan
Sumisigaw at ipinaaalam tunay na kalagayan
Nitong mga gahaman, at tunay na berdugo ng bayan.

Desaparecidos, yan ang sa amin ay ipinangalan
Sugatan ang mga puso, lungkot ay di maibsan
Humihingi ng hustisya at tunay na karapatan
Mahirap o mayaman, maging patas ang katarungan.

Tindi ng sikat nitong haring araw
Hindi alintana pagkat galit ang nangingibabaw
Sukdulang bukas kami naman ang mapagbalingan
Nitong sandatahang aral kay Palparan.

Kung inaakala nitong mga limatik na sandatahan
Yaong dinukot nila, kalaba’y mababawasan
Nagkakamali sila, pagka’t bilang ay nadaragdagan
Tatayo, sisigaw, lalantad at lalaban.

Di kami nagtataka sa sandatahang sunud-sunuran
Dahil alam namin na karamihan ay kulang sa kaalaman
Parang robot na kailangan pang susian
At humiram ng tapang sa terorista ng bayan.

Meron pa ba namang dapat na patunayan
Lahat naman tayo aybhubad nang isinilang
Walang saplot kahit yaong nasa pamahalaan
Bakit kaya ngayon sila itong naghahari-harian

Mananahimik na lamang ba kami at hindi na tututol
Mga mahal namin sa buhay itong aming hinahabol
Sa mga militar na kumuha’t berdugo kung humatol
Na kung umasta ay parang mga asong ulol!

DESAPARECIDOS! TUMAYO TAYO PARA SA MGA MAHAL NATIN SA BUHAY!
LUMABAN KUNG ITO ANG PARAAN AT MAGING MATIBAY!
HANGGANG SA SANDALING MAKAMIT NATIN ANG ATING PINAKAHIHINTAY!
ITAAS ANG KAMAO!
PASUSUKUIN NATIN ANG MGA KAAWAY!