Enforced disappearance of dissidents and unarmed civilians are on the rise, numbering at least 66 persons in the last seven months, the human rights watchdog KARAPATAN said, adding that in the five and a half years of the Macapagal-Arroyo regime, the group documented a total of 179 state-sponsored disappearances, 38 of them involving activists. 

 - From the statement of the DESAPARECIDOS

The families of 9 missing persons and their supporters troop to the Supreme Court in the morning of August 3 to file petitions for writ of habeas corpus. Other supporters stage a picket outside the Supreme Court compound.

Later in the afternoon the members of the families of the victims went to the office of the GRP-NDFP Joint Monitoring Committee where they sought an audience first with the GRP-JS and later with the NDFP-JS.

At the office of the NDFP-JS of the Joint Monitoring Committee in Quezon City, the families of the missing persons filed complaints against the GRP for violations of the provisions of the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL).

They had earlier sought to speak to the members of the GRP-JS which hold office at the same floor.  They later had an audience with the NDFP-JS: Ms. Marissa Dumanjug-Palo, head of the Secretariat of the NDFP-JS, and Atty. Edre Olalia, legal consultant.      Photos by NDFP-JS staff

Download video of Elizabeth, wife of Rudy Calubad, addressing a message  to the Supreme Court justices

Press Release – August 03, 2006                 

Sixty-six abducted in 7 months

Victims’ families, rights group condemn escalation of enforced disappearances

This morning, family members of 9 missing persons filed a motion for writ of habeas corpus at the Supreme Court. Human rights group Desaparacidos raised the alarm on the escalating incidents of enforced disappearance and condemned the Macapagal-Arroyo government for allowing one of the most cruel human rights violations to happen.

The families of missing persons Prudencio Calubid, Rudy and Gabriel Calubad, Philip Limjoco, Leopoldo Ancheta, Rolando Porter, Celina Palma, Gloria Soco and Ariel Beloy filed the petition for the writ of habeas corpus.  Calubid, the elder Calubad, Philip Limjoco and Leopoldo Ancheta are believed to be either members or consultants of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines and are protected by the Joint Agreement for Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG) between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the NDF and is also protected by International Humanitarian Laws.

The plaintiffs has prayed unto the Supreme Court to issue a WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS directed to General Jovito Palparan Jr., Maj. Gen. Bonifacio Ramos, PNP Dir. Gen. Oscar Calderon, AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, Commodore Leonardo Calderon Jr., Senior Supt. Romeo Ricardo, Chief Supt. Jesus Versoza, Lt. Gen. Alexander Yano, Chief Supt. Prospero Noble Jr., Chief Supt. Ismael Rafanan, Sec. Avelino Cruz, Sec. Norberto Gonzales and all persons acting in their behalf.

Enforced disappearance of dissidents and unarmed civilians are on the rise, numbering at least 66 persons in the last seven months, the human rights watchdog KARAPATAN said, adding that in the five and a half years of the Macapagal-Arroyo regime, the group documented a total of 179 state-sponsored disappearances, 38 of them involving activists.

Desaparecidos led a picket to support the victims’ relatives to put pressure to the Court to act in favor of the victims.

Ghay Portajada, Desaparecidos Spokesperson said: “We shall closely monitor the court battle to have the AFP surface the missing persons.  The families of the disappeared have a strong basis to suspect that their relatives are in the hands of the military. An immediate response from the court to surface them can save their lives.”

The group further said: “Lawlessness and not the rule of law prevails when we do not feel safe anymore in the streets and in our own homes, when armed men will forcibly take people and make them disappear without a trace.”

Portajada, whose own father disappeared during the Aquino administration, also said that enforced disappearance, like extrajudicial killings, “is an act of reprisal by the state to prevent citizens from criticizing evil in government.”

“Just like during martial law, extrajudicial killings twinned with enforced disappearances are being implemented as a state policy under the counterinsurgency program Oplan Bantay Laya. As long as OBL exists, human rights violations will continue and GMA’s 10-day deadline to solve them is a mere lip service.” KARAPATAN concluded.##

REFERENCE:

Ghay Portajada

Desaparecidos Spokesperson

Mobile No. 09206122672

DESAPARECIDOS

Address #34-B Maamo Street, Sikatuna Village, Quezon City PHILIPPINES 1101 Telefax (+632) 4354146  Email karapatan@tri-isys.com, karapatan.pid@gmail.com (for media and international concerns)

Petition for habeas corpus by Carmen Ancheta

Petition for habeas corpus by Elizabeth Calubad

Privilege speech of Rep. Satur Ocampo on  the political killings

Desaparecidos' statement on enforced disappearance

KARAPATAN says independent investigation on killings and disappearances urgent, called PNP 'consultations' and probe a farce

Open Letter of Carmen Ancheta, wife

 of Leopoldo, abducted June 24, 2006

Open Letter of Elizabeth Calubad, wife

of Rudy and mother of Gabriel,

 abducted June 17, 2006

Open Letter of Sonny Palma, sister of Celina,

\abducted June 26, 2006

NEWS REPORTS

Journal: More habeas petitions vs AFP

Inquirer: More habeas corpus petitions vs military filed with SC;  Kin of missing  file complaint before monitoring body

Philippine Star: SC asked to order PNP, AFP to free missing activists

Philippine Star: Families of 9 missing go to high court

NDFP proposal for a joint probe of the desaparecidos