UA Date: 24 March 2008 UA Title: Couple Abducted and Illegally Detained in Camp Vicente Lim, Laguna, Philippines UA Case: Abduction, Illegal Arrest and Detention Victim/s: Jaime "jimmy" soledad · ?Male, 58 y/o clarita luego · ?Female, 50 y/o · Married to Jimmy Soledad Vilma madrazo · ?Female, 37 y/o · Cousin of Clarita Luego Place of Incident: In front of 7-11 branch along Daang Hari in Molino 3, Bacoor, Cavite, across the gates of Camella Homes Springville City (North) Date of Incident: 20 March 2008, around 4:00pm Possible Motive: Accused as a top-ranking member of CPP-NPA in Eastern Visayas Alleged Perpetrators: Not less than 10 unidentified men in civilian clothes, believed to be elements of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Account of Incident : On March 20, 2008, Thursday, at around 4:00 p.m., Vilma Madrazo met with Jimmy and Clarita Soledad in front of the 7-11 branch accross the gates of Camella Homes Springville City (North) at Molino 3, Cavite. The Soledads came to Cavite upon the invitation of Madrazo to discuss about the small store being sold by Clarita. As they were about to leave to board a tricycle, more than 10 unidentified men in civilian clothes approached them and bound the victims' wrists behind their backs with handcuffs. One of the men said that they were under arrest, but did not introduce himself nor show any identification. The three victims were forced into separate vehicles. According to witnesses inside the 7-11 store, which were mainly composed of store clerks, the perpetrators forced the victims inside parked vehicles which were: a silver van (Adventure type), a brown vehicle and a couple of white cars that sped towards the direction of SM Molino. One of the store clerks said that an MMDA traffic enforcer recognized the perpetrators to be members of the Talaba Police. Madrazo, who was released on the the evening of the same day, recounted that she was blindfolded inside the car, her cellular phone taken from her. They have been traveling for two hours when she requested for the use of a bathroom. Madrazo was told by one of her captors that they were nearing their destination. When they arrived, she said that she was guided to a restroom where her handcuffs and blindfold were removed, and that she was locked inside. After a while, she was again blindfolded and handcuffed and guided into another room. Madrazo felt that the place where she was taken was an air conditioned office of some sort, and heard conversations of male voices conversing in Waray and in Tagalog. She heard a male voice asking her captors "Siya na ba?" (Is she the one?,) to which one of her captors replied "Oo, siya na" (Yes, it's her). Madrazo was asked for her name and address which she replied to. She heard shuffling of papers and then a man spoke to her captors telling them to let her go for she is not in their list. Madrazo asked about the Soledad couple and was told by her captors not to ask too many questions. Madrazo was again guided to embark another vehicle with her captors. She said the vehicle was apparently a different one from the first. In her calculation, they had traveled for almost two hours. When they stopped, she was told to alight from the car, her handcuffs and blindfold were removed. She recognized the place as Alabang, near the Metropolis Mall. She asked about her cousin Clarita and Jimmy, and she was told by one of the men, "Huwag ka na makikialam at magtatanong kung ayaw mong ibalik kita roon!" (Do not meddle or ask questions if you don't want me to take you back there!), and then the perpetrators sped off. This was around 9:00 pm of the same day Madrazo went back home to Cavite and informed Clarita's siblings of the events. On 22 March 2008, Saturday, Clarita's sister, Robisita Abenoja accompanied by Karapatan conducted an ocular inspection of the place of incident and inquired with the local law enforcement agencies in Cavite. As of that time, there were no reports of the abduction or arrest, nor was there a report on requests for coordination with other law enforcement agencies filed at the Molino 3 Baranggay, and at the Molino and Talaba PNP detachments in relation to the incident. On 23 March, Sunday, a Quick Reaction Team (QRT) from Karapatan headed by Atty. Ephraim Cortez accompanied the relatives to Camp Vicente Lim, Philippine National Police Region IV Headquarters in Canlubang, Laguna to check if the couple was in their custody. However, a staff from the Intelligence Division denied custody of the two. On the same day, People's Journal (an English language tabloid) reported the arrest of Jaime Soledad. He and Clarita were reported to be detained at the headquarters of the 2nd Infantry Division of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. The military claims that Jaime Soledad is one of the highest ranking leaders of the CPP-NPA in Eastern Visayas. The QRT went back to Camp Vicente Lim on 24 March 2008 to determine the couple's whereabouts and it was only then that camp officials finally confirmed that the couple is in their custody, and is currently in detention. RECOMMENDED ACTION: Send letters, emails or fax messages calling for: 1. 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 that will look into the Abduction of Vilma Madrazo, Jaime Soledad and Carlita Luego and Illegal Arrest and Detention of Jaime Soledad and Carlita Luego. 2. The arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators of the crime/s of Abduction and Illegal Arrest and Detention. 3. 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: H.E. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo President of the Republic Malacanang Palace , JP Laurel St., San Miguel Manila Philippines Voice: (+632) 564 1451 to 80 Fax: (+632) 742-1641 / 929-3968 Cell#: (+ 63) 919 898 4622 / (+63) 917 839 8462 E-mail: corres@op.gov.ph / opnet@ops.gov.ph Jesus D. Dureza Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process *Office of the Peace Process 7th Floor Agustin Building I Emerald Avenue Pasig City 1605 Voice:+63 (2) 636 0701 to 066 Mobile: Fax:+63 (2) 635 9579 osec@opapp.gov.ph Department of National Defense Room 301 DND Building, Camp Emilio Aguinaldo, E. de los Santos Avenue Quezon City Voice:+63(2) 911-9281 / 911-0488 Fax:+63(2) 911 6213 osnd@philonline.com Hon. Raul M. Gonzalez Secretary, Department of Justice Padre Faura St., Manila Direct Line 521-8344; 5213721 Trunkline 523-84-81 loc.214 Fax: (+632) 521-1614 Email sad@doj.gov.ph Hon. Purificacion Valera Quisumbing Chairperson, Commission on Human Rights SAAC Bldg., UP Complex Commonwealth Avenue Diliman, Quezon City Philippines Fax: (+632) 929 0102 Email: drpvq@chr.gov.ph Please send us a copy of your email/mail/fax to the said government official to our address below. URGENT ACTION Prepared by: KARAPATAN (Alliance for the Advancement of People's Rights)-National Office 34 Maamo St. Sikatuna Village, Quezon City 1100 PHILIPPINES Voice/Fax: (+632) 435 4146 Email: karapatan.pid@gmail.com Website: www.karapatan.org