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Arroyo regime
implements most cruel form
of human rights violation
The Families of Desaparecidos for Justice or Desaparecidos condemns the
regime of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for its continued implementation of
enforced disappearances, deemed the cruelest form of human rights
violations.
Enforced disappearance deprives the victim the right to life, liberty,
against torture, and even the right to a decent burial. We, the families
of victims have been subjected to risks and continued psychological
torture as we continue to search and remain uncertain of the fate of our
missing loved ones.
Ironically, the Philippines was reelected yesterday as member of the
United Nations Human Rights Council, after finishing a one year term. We
at Desaparecidos, however maintain that the country's membership to the
recently-created UNHRC has not reflected in any show of respect, much less
protection of human rights of Filipinos, as shown by the rising cases of
disappearances and extrajudicial killings.
Those who remain missing have reached 199 from 2001 to May this year. From
January to May this year, 16 persons were abducted and had remained
missing, among them, six are women and one is a minor. In 2006 was
recorded the highest number of disappeared, with 75 victims.
As part of the regime's Oplan Bantay Laya, elite intelligence and
operation groups of the Armed Forces of the Philippines have conducted the
surveillance, abduction, torture, concealment and possibly execution of
their victims, who were mostly members of cause-oriented groups and even
the underground Left.
According to the International Convention for the Protection of all
Persons against Enforced Disappearances, enforced disappearance is
committed by government officials or by organized groups acting in behalf,
or with the support, consent or acquiescence of the government, depriving
the victim of liberty and placing him/her outside the protection of the
law.
Indeed, this had been evident in the testimonies of witnesses and data
gathered in cases of disappearance, pointing to the involvement of state
security forces, use of government resources and facilities.
■ The latest victim, Joseph Jonas Burgos, 37, was abducted by armed men
suspected to be soldiers on April 28, at the Ever Gotesco mall in Quezon
City. The abductors' Toyota Revo had the license plate TAB 194 which was
traced to an XLT jeep impounded at the 56th ID headquarters in Norzagaray,
Bulacan.
■ On April 3, Cavite urban poor leader Lourdes "Nay Ude" Rubrico was
abducted by armed men who identified themselves as agents of the "NBI"
(National Bureau of Investigation) and used a brown van with license plate
XRR 428 which was traced to Army Major Darwin Sy.
Nay Ude, 63, who was released on April 10, attested that she was detained
at an office of the 301st Air Intelligence and Security Squadron inside
the Fernando Basa Air Base. She had since filed criminal and civil charges
against several AFP officers.
■ Oscar Leuterio, a former security guard in Doña Remedios Trinidad,
Bulacan, was also abducted last year and kept incommunicado for five
months, inside the Fort Magsaysay where he saw other victims of
disappearance. He had filed criminal and civil charges against his
abductors and captors, including now ret. Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan Jr.
■ On April 12 in Cebu , soldiers were the ones who abducted and tortured
Bayan Muna coordinator Preciosa Daño, 48 and Kabataan partylist's
Beethoven Avila, 28. The military later released them to the Regional
Intelligence Investigation Division in Toledo City.
■ On March 27, in Sta. Ana, Pampanga, peasant Villamor Adona was abducted
by armed men who carried Armalite rifles with laser devices, which are
used by military and police men.
■ Soldiers in civilian clothes were the ones involved in the May 7 illegal
arrest of Virgilio Borja in Ormoc, Leyte which could have also led to
another disappearance, were it not for the presence of Bayan Muna
partylist Rep. Teddy Casiño who accompanied Borja.
To stop the continued rise in disappearances, we challenge the Arroyo
regime to sign the International Convention for the Protection of all
Persons against Enforced Disappearance which requires the states to
investigate enforced disappearances and punish those who are found guilty
of such crime.
For the third Saturday gathering of Hustisya, we would like to remember
those who were disappeared this time last year, whose families have spent
a whole year searching and seeking justice:
■ Manuel Sioson Jr., abducted May 5 in brgy. Lambakin, San Miguel, Bulacan
by armed men suspected to be soldiers of the 56th IB PA led by Lt.Col.
Noel Clement
■ Benedicto Magdaong, 52, Anakpawis member, abducted May 5 in Pampanga by
2 armed men in ski masks
■ Leoniso Ragudos, 33, farmer, abducted May 6 in Sapang Dalaga, Misamis
Occidental
■ Philip Limjoco, 52, NDF consultant, disappeared May 8 in Dau, Pampanga
■ Roland Rallo Porter, 50, member of Bayan Muna and First Quarter Storm
Movement, abducted May 16 in brgy. Olympia, Makati City
■ Virgilio Tranquilino, 34, abducted May 17 in Nueva Ecija
■ Fidel Palting, worker of the United Church of Christ in the Phils.,
abducted May 21 by suspected soldiers of the 71st IB PA
■ Dionelo Borres, 45 and Roberto Marapo, 44, peasants, abucted May 28 by
suspected operatives of the 61st IB PA
PAMILYA NG
DESAPARECIDOS PARA SA KATARUNGAN (Desaparecidos)
2/f Erythrina bldg., #1 Maaralin cor. Matatag sts., Barangay Central,
Quezon city, Telefax 4342837
19 May 2007
Reference: Mary Ghay Portajada,
Desaparecidos Spokesperson
Mobile No. 09058234907 Telefax 4342837#
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QUICK
STATS
■ MIssing since
2001 - 199
■ Disappeared,
January to May, 2007 only - 18 victims
■ Highest
number of disappeared - 75 victims, in 2006
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Para kay Jonas, anak ng kaibigan at kapatid
sa hanapbuhay na si Joe Burgos.*
ANG MGA NAWAWALA
Isang araw sila'y
nawala na lang at sukat.
May hindi pumasok sa opisina,
hindi sumipot sa apoyntment,
nang-indiyan ng kadeyt.
May hindi umuwi ng bahay
at hindi nakasalo
ng pamilya sa hapunan,
hindi nakasiping ng kabiyak.
Ang inihaing ulam ay ligalig,
at ang inilatag na banig
ay ayaw dalawin ng antok.
Nang hanapin sila'y
walang masabi
ang kamag-anak at kaibigan,
walang ulat ang pulisya,
walang malay ang militar.
Kung mayroon mang nakakita
nang sila'y sunggaban
ng malalaking lalaki
at isakay sa dyip o kotse,
pabulong-bulong ang saksi,
palinga-linga,
at kung pakikiusapang
tumestigo sa korte,
baka ito'y tumanggi.
Pagkaraan ng ilang araw,
o linggo, o buwan, o taon,
pagkaraan ng maraming
maghapon at magdamag,
pagkaraang ang agam-agam
ay magparoo't parito
sa mga manhid na pasilyo
at ang pag-aasam-asam
ay mapanis sa mga tanggapan,
pagkaraan ng luha't tiyaga,
ang ilan sa kanila'y
muling lumitaw.
Lumitaw sila
sa bilangguan, sa bartolina,
sa kubling bahay na imbakan
ng ungol, tili at panaghoy,
himpilan ng mga berdugong
eksperto sa sanlibo't isang
istilo ng pagpapahirap.
Lumitaw silang
bali ang buto o sira ang bait.
O kaya'y lumitaw silang
lumulutang sa mabahong ilog,
o nakahandusay sa pampang,
o umaalingasaw
sa mga libingang mababaw
na hinukay ng mga asong gala.
Lumitaw silang
may gapos ang kamay at paa
na wala nang pintig, o watak-
watak ang kamay, paa, ulo,
o tadtad ng butas ang bangkay,
likha ng bala o balaraw.
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Ang iba'y hindi
na lumitaw,
hindi na kailanman lumitaw,
nawala na lang at sukat,
walang labí, walang bangkay,
hindi malaman kung
buhay o patay,
hindi mapaghandugan
ng lamayan, pasiyam, luksa,
hindi maipagbabang- luksa,
hindi maipagtirik ng kandila
kung Todos los Santos.
Nakaposas pa ba sila
sa paa ng kinakalawang na kama
sa loob ng kuwartong may tanod,
busog sa bugbog,
binabagabag ng bangungot,
sumisipol kung nag-iisa
ng "Saan Ka Man Naroroon,"
iniisip kung ano ang iniisip
ng magulang at anak,
kasintahan o kabiyak?
O sila ba'y
umayaw na sa pakikibaka
at nagbalik sa dating buhay,
o nagtaksil sa simulain
at nagtatago sa takot,
o nag-asawang muli
at nangibang-bayan,
o tinamaan ng amnisya
at lalaboy-laboy sa lansangan,
o lihim na namundok
at nag-iba ng pangalan?
O sila ba'y
pinagpapasasaan na ng uod?
Nag-ugat na ba ang talahib
sa mga mata ng kanilang bungo?
Bahagi na ba sila
ng kanilang lupang tinubuan,
ang lupang kanilang ipinaglaban?
Sinusulat ko ito
para sa mga kakilalang
hanggang ngayon ay nawawala,
para kina Charlie del Rosario
at Caloy Tayag
at Manny Yap
at Henry Romero
at Jun Flores,
at Rudy Romano
sila na kahit hindi ko
nakilala nang husto
ay alam kong naglingkod
sa api at hikahos.
Buhay man sila o patay,
sa aking alaala'y
mananatili silang buhay.
--Jose F. Lacaba
* Note from the
author to the egroups where this was downloaded:
Narito ang isang luma
kong tula na sinulat noong panahon ng batas militar at parang napapanahon
na naman. Palitan lang ang mga pangalan ay masasabing nangyayari na naman
ang inilalarawan dito. |
