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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
FOURTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session
HOUSE RESOLUTION No. 1046
(filed March 9, 2009; 1:20 pm)
_______________________________________________________________________
INTRODUCED by BAYAN MUNA Reps. SATUR C. OCAMPO and TEODORO A. CASIÑO
____________________________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
DIRECTING THE COMMITTEE ON
HUMAN RIGHTS TO CONDUCT AN INVESTIGATION, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, ON THE
CONDEMNABLE BRUTAL ABDUCTION, TORTURE AND EXTRAJUDICIAL KILLING OF REBELYN
PITAO, ALLEGEDLY PERPETRATED BY THE 10TH INFANTRY DIVISION OF THE ARMED
FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES
WHEREAS, 20-year-old Rebelyn Pitao, a substitute teacher in St. Peter’s
College, Toril, Davao City and resident of Purok 2, Bago Gallera, Tolomo,
Davao City was abducted by four unidentified armed men on March 4, 2009 at
the crossing of Bago Gallera de Oro Subdivision in Davao City;
WHEREAS, Rebelyn was a daughter of Leoncio Pitao, also known as Commander
Parago of the New People’s Army, but was not involved in any rebel
activity. In June 2008 her uncle, Danilo Pitao, the brother of Leoncio,
was abducted and killed in Tagum City;
WHEREAS, Rebelyn was abducted by the armed men at 6:30 in the evening on
her way home aboard a tricycle. The gunmen threatened the tricycle driver,
Dany Pelicano, as they forcibly took Rebelyn and pushed her into a white
van parked about 300 meters away from the terminal;
WHEREAS, at around 6:30 in the evening of March 5, 2009, Rebelyn’s body
was found in a river in Purok 5, Brgy. San Isidro, Carmen, Davao del
Norte, her mouth covered with packing tape, her pants partially pulled
down and her underwear missing;
WHEREAS, the initial autopsy by the PNP Scene of the Crime Operatives
(SOCO) team lead by Dr. Tomas Dimaandal, Jr., shows that Rebelyn’s eyes
were badly bruised and bore signs of bleeding due to a blow from a hard
object. She had a 3-centimeter ligature mark on the neck indicating she
was strangulated. She sustained 5-stab wounds (possible weapon ice pick):
2 above the left breast, one of which punctured her lung; two wounds under
the left breast that pierced through her diaphragm and hit the liver. She
had lacerations around her genital which may have been caused by the
insertion of a hard object;
WHEREAS, Rebelyn’s relatives and friends point to the Armed Forces of the
Philippines (AFP), specifically the 10th Infantry Division, despite its
immediate denial, as responsible for the brutal abduction-murder since it
has the capability, means and motive to retaliate against Commander Parago
by going after his kin;
WHEREAS, the Philippine Government is a signatory to the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights and is also a party to all the major Human
Rights instruments, including International Humanitarian Law, the Rebelyn
Pitao case clearly comes under its jurisdiction;
NOW THERFORE, BE IT RESOLVED
AS IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED, that the Committee on Human Rights conduct an
investigation, in aid of legislation, on the condemnable brutal abduction,
torture and extrajudicial killing of Rebelyn Pitao, allegedly perpetrated
by the 10th Infantry Division of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
Adopted,
SATUR C. OCAMPO TEODORO A. CASIÑO
Bayan Muna Party List Bayan Muna Party List
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
ALLIANCE OF CONCERNED TEACHERS
2/F Teachers’ Center, Mines St. cor. Dipolog St. , Bgy. VASRA, Quezon City
, Philippines
Telefax 453-9116 Mobile 0920-9220817 Email act_philippines@yahoo.com
Website www.actphils.com
Member, Education International
March 6, 2009
NEWS RELEASE
Reference: Antonio L. Tinio (+63920-9220817)
ACT Chairperson
ACT condemns abduction, murder of Davao City teacher
The Alliance of Concerned Teachers today condemned the abduction and
murder of a young private school teacher in Davao City . Rebelyn Pitao,
20, was a substitute teacher at the elementary department of the St.
Peter’s College of Toril .
Rebelyn Pitao is the daughter of rebel leader Leoncio Pitao, also known as
Kumander Parago. Pitao heads the Pulang Bagani Command of the New People’s
Army in Southern Mindanao .
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The victim’s mother,
Evangeline Pitao, has accused the military of being behind the killing,
claiming that the act is intended to force her husband to surrender.
According to her, her eldest son and another daughter had previously
experienced being stalked by armed men. The military has denied any
involvement.
“We condemn the heinous abduction and murder of school teacher Rebelyn
Pitao,” said ACT national chairman Antonio Tinio. “We call on the
authorities to launch a thorough investigation of the crime and bring the
perpetrators to justice. In particular, we call on the police to look into
the possible involvement of the military or paramilitary elements in the
incident.”
Tinio noted that the extrajudicial killing of activists continues unabated
in Southern Mindanao . Late last year, three organizers of the progressive
party Bayan Muna and an activist of the peasant group Kilusang Magbubukid
ng Pilipinas were gunned down in Compostela Valley and Davao del Norte.
“The murder of Rebelyn should be seen in this context.”
Tinio warned that the possible involvement of the military in Pitao’s
death could indicate that the government’s counterinsurgency campaign has
taken a new and even more reprehensible turn. “Rebelyn’s death is
particularly shocking because she was an ordinary law-abiding citizen who
happened to be the daughter of one of the top rebel leaders in Southern
Mindanao . This could be a case of reprisal killing or collective
punishment, which is a war crime.”
According to news reports, Rebelyn was riding in a tricycle on her way
home Wedenesday evening (March 4) when a white van with license plate
LPG-588 blocked their path. Armed men alighted and abducted the young
teacher.
The next day, her body was found in an irrigation ditch in Carmen town in
the nearby province of Davao del Norte. Clad only in underwear, with hands
bound and mouth covered with tape, the victim’s body bore several stab
wounds.
“The military are crossing another line if they are indeed targeting the
family and relatives of rebels. This is akin to the reprisal killings
perpetrated by the Nazis against civilians in World War 2 or the Israeli
practice of routinely demolishing the homes of families of Palestinian
suicide bombers. This must stop and those responsible punished,” said
Tinio.
According to Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949, “No
protected person may be punished for an offense he or she has not
personally committed,” and “collective penalties and likewise all measures
of intimidation or terrorism are prohibited.”
Last year, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial,Summary, and
Arbitrary Executions Philip Alston issued a report ascribing the
extrajudicial execution of activists to the government’s counterinsurgency
operations.
“Unfortunately, the Arroyo administration is notorious for its inability
or unwillingness to bring human rights violators in the military to
justice,” concluded Tinio. #
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Victims of Arroyo Regime
United for Justice
2/floor Erythrina bldg., #1 Maaralin cor. Matatag sts. Barangay Central,
Quezon City
PRESS RELEASE
March 10, 2009
Reference:
Evangeline Hernandez, Convener
Victims of the Arroyo Regime for Justice
Telefax 4342837, Mobile no. 09158562151
Killing of Commander Parago’s daughter: the peak of military
desperation - HUSTISYA
Rebelyn Pitao was about to start a career in teaching, a young woman with
her whole life ahead of her. The 20-year-old teacher’s only “crime” was
she had a revolutionary for a father. Because of this, state agents in
desperate pursuit of her father took her and killed her instead.
The group Victims of the Arroyo Regime for Justice or Hustisya condemns
the abduction, rape and summary execution of Rebelyn Pitao, daughter of
Leoncio Pitao (a.k.a Commander Parago of the New People’s Army-Southern
Mindanao).
“In its desperation to wipe out the NPA, the Armed Forces of the
Philippines has employed nothing but the dirtiest, lamest and cruelest
attacks,” Evangeline Hernandez, Convener of Victims of Arroyo United for
Justice (HUSTISYA!) said. “They prey on unarmed civilians, not only those
in the progressive movement, but even family members of revolutionaries.
They could not get any lower than this.”
Ms. Hernandez said the abduction and killing is a clear violation of the
International Humanitarian Law that says family members of an armed group
party to the conflict who are not combatants and do not participate in the
armed conflict are considered civilians.
Rebelyn was abducted at 6:30 pm, March 4 in Bago Gallera de Oro
Subdivision, in Tolomo, Davao City, Davao del Norte while riding a
tricycle going home. Two men from a parked white van blocked the tricycle
and forced Rebelyn off and into the van. Her body was found in the river
in Purok 5, Brgy. San Isidro, Carmen, Davao del Norte. Her mouth was
covered with packing tape, her pants partially pulled down and her
underwear missing.
To quote Karapatan’s March 6 urgent action report:
“Based of the initial findings of the autopsy conducted by the Scene of
the Crime Operatives (SOCO) Dr.Tomas Dimaandal, Jr., Rebelyn’s eyes were
badly bruised and bleeding that may be due to a blow from a hard object.
She had a 3-centimeter ligature mark in the neck. She sustained 5 stab
wounds (possible weapon ice pick): 2 above the left breast, one of which
hit the lungs; two wounds under the left breast, one of which pierced
through the liver and another one in the diaphragm which also hit the
liver. She had lacerations around her genital area which maybe caused by
the insertion of a hard object. Traces of blood were also found but maybe
due to the embalming fluids, no traces of sperm were detected.
At the time she was found, she was almost 24-hours dead which could mean
that she was killed right after her abduction.”
In June 2008, Pitao’s brother Danilo, 42, and an employee at the Tagum
municipal office, was shot dead while riding a tricycle.
Instead of condemning Rebelyn’s salvaging, Maj. Randolph Cabangbang,
spokesman of the military’s Eastern Mindanao command even rationalized
that it was Lencio Pitao’s fault, for probably inciting businessmen to
take revenge on his family, as if it was the most reasonable thing in the
world.
“Survivors of attempted killings and disappearances have proven that the
motive, methodology and capability to commit abductions and salvagings
belong to the military. Under Mrs. Gloria Arroyo, there are more than 900
victims of summary execution and extrajudicial killings – all are victims
of state security forces. Stop blaming any businessmen,” Ms. Hernandez
said.
She said that the military assumed that killing Rebelyn could weaken her
father and the revolutionary movement.
“But it’s a war the military cannot possibly win, because they cannot kill
or fool all the people. This only inflames us more to continue the
struggle to attain justice, and to see to it that punishment is meted out
to the responsible state security agents, if not through the judicial
system, then through other arenas,” Ms. Hernandez said. ###
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Press Statement
March 7, 2009
Reference: Ramon Mappala, NY Committee for Human Rights in the
Philippines, email: nychrp@gmail.com
Pitao's Abduction & Execution Indicates GRP’s Non-Interest in Abiding by
International Human Rights Law
The brutal abduction, rape, torture, and murder of 20-year old Rebelyn
Pitao in Davao City just a few days ago on March 4th sends a clear message
to the Filipino people that the epidemic of extrajudicial killings and
enforced disappearances in the Philippines is far from over. Furthermore,
this grave human rights violation strongly indicates the Philippine
government’s unwillingness to abide by standards set by International
Humanitarian Law as outlined in the Geneva Conventions on the protection
of civilians in countries undergoing internal armed conflict or civil war.
Rebelyn Pitao was not an armed combatant nor participant in the
Philippines’ ongoing civil war between the Armed Forces of the Philippines
(AFP) and the New People’s Army (NPA), the armed-wing of the Communist
Party of the Philippines (CPP). Rebelyn Pitao was a substitute teacher in
St. Peter’s College in Toril, Davao City. She was the daughter of Leonicio
Pitao, a resident of Purok 2, Bago Gallera, Tolomo in Davao City. The AFP
has long alleged Leonicio Pitao to be the commander of the NPA known as
“Parago”. Despite this, Rebelyn led a life unlinked to the reality of the
growing armed insurgency in the Philippines being waged for legitimate,
principled reasons such as genuine comprehensive agrarian reform and
national industrialization. And yet, it was Rebelyn Pitao who was targeted
by four unidentified elements of Philippine state security forces to be
killed as a message to Parago, whose civilian brother was also slain the
year before. Her lifeless body was found on March 5th floating in a river
in Purok 5, Barangay San Isidro, Carmen, Davao del Norte. Pitao's body
bore marks of significant torture and humiliation at the hands of her
captors.
Article 51 of Protocol I Additional to the Geneva Conventions stipulates
that protection must be given to civilians and civilian populations in
times of civil war. The Government of the Republic of the Philippines
(GRP) is a high-contracting party to the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and
its Protocols of 1977, and thus is bound by international humanitarian law
conduct its part in the Philippines’ civil war in accordance to its
standards.
Instead, the Arroyo government’s response to its international
humanitarian obligations has been to launch a militarist
counter-insurgency strategy, known as Oplan Bantay Laya (OBL), in 2002
with the objective of annihilating the armed revolutionary movement in
five years. OBL has proven to include the targeting of civilians as a
means to accomplish its goal, leading to the deaths of over 900 unarmed
civilians under the Arroyo administration. When OBL failed annihilate the
CPP-NPA-NDFP by its target date, it was re-launched again in 2008. Oplan
Bantay Laya II was an arrogant move by the Philippine Commander-in-Chief
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her Secretary of State Eduardo Ermita to
continue with their failed and costly counter-insurgency strategy despite
harrowing condemnation against it being wielded by the United Nations,
sections of US Congress, the Permanent People's Tribunal, the World
Council of Churches, Amnesty International, and many other international
monitoring bodies of human rights.
Along the way, the Arroyo government's campaign, in collusion with the
Bush's administration's Global War On Terror, to list the CPP, NPA, and
its founder Jose Maria Sison as foreign terrorists led to the 2005 halting
of peace negotiations between the GRP and the CPP's political wing, the
National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP). Amongst the landmark
gains of these talks-- which began after the fall of the Marcos
dictatorship in 1986, underwent recess, and resumed in1992-- is the
Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International
Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL). As a binding document signed by both the GRP
and NDFP, the CARHRIHL officially commits both parties to abide by
International Humanitarian Law in conducting civil war in the Philippines.
This includes the protection and non-harming of innocent, unarmed
civilians such as Rebelyn Pitao. The blatant disregard of this agreement
and international humanitarian law standards by the GRP poses an unclear
future for prospects of resuming peace talks between the two parties at a
time of escalating armed conflict, and subsequent civilian deaths, in the
Philippines.
The Arroyo government is ultimately behind Rebelyn Pitao's death and must
be held accountable. The NY Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines,
along with the Filipino people, supports the initiative of Philippine
human rights group Karapatan for an independent investigation of Rebelyn
Pitao's murder without any interference from Philippine state security
forces. We demand the immediate arrest and conviction the perpetrators
once found. Left uncaptured and uninvestigated, the Arroyo government
lives up to its controversial track record of implementing a policy of
impunity for perpetrators of human rights violations, especially when
these perpetrators come from the AFP's ranks. We also call for the
protection of Danny Pelicano, the tricycle driver who was able to escape
from Pitao's kidnappers the night she was killed, from subsequent
harassment, threats, and intimidation. We call on all international human
rights monitoring bodies and authorities, including the Obama
administration, to condemn and punish the Philippine government, through
the impeachment of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and known perpetrators within
the GRP, for its strong violations of international human rights law as a
signee to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of the United Nations,
the Geneva Conventions, and the CARHRIHL.
Justice for Rebelyn Pitao!
Justice for All Victims of Political Repression in the Philippines!
Impeach Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo!
Uphold & Respect International Humanitarian Law in the Philippines!
--
New York Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines
www.nychrp,org
email: nychrp@gmail.com |
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Initiatives for Peace Mindanao
(InPeace)
March 11, 2009
STATEMENT
REBELYN’S MURDER ANOTHER SETBACK TO THE PEACE PROCESS
I extend my deepest sympathy to the family of Ka Parago and Evangeline
Pitao over the loss of their daughter Rebelyn.
It comes as a shock to hear of such news. I pray that the family remains
strong in these trying times, and I would like to let them know that we
peace advocates are one with them in crying out for justice.
It is sad for me to know of this tragedy. Especially that I have known
Parago when I was assigned as a bishop in Southern Mindanao, and met him
during the negotiations and release of Gen. Victor Obillo and Capt.
Eduardo Montealto in 1999. Parago impressed me when the captured officials
were released safely, showing his respect for their rights and safety and
his strict adherence to the proper conduct of war. We met again during his
detention in Manila in 2000, and he again impressed me with his strong
conviction to his principles.
It is good to be reminded that Parago was released in 2001 as part of
confidence building measures agreed upon by the Government of the Republic
of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front to pave the way for
the resumption of the peace talks. Now, eight years after, the killing of
Parago’s daughter once more betrays the serious lack of sincerity on the
part of the Arroyo government in talking peace to resolve the decades-old
armed revolution.
I pray that we can act this time to respond against this barbarity, to
stand up for justice for Rebelyn and the rest of the victims of these
extra-judicial killings in the country. It is alarming that the killings
and other human rights violations are done with impunity, and in violation
of human rights and International Humanitarian Law.
We cannot rely solely on a military-led probe, and I share the family's
doubts on this. Especially with the fact that the Armed Forces of the
Philippines has unleashed Oplan Bantay Laya 2, which is now on a rampage
in the countryside and cities in Mindanao, making no distinction between
civilians and combatants, and, now, their relatives.
We must again raise alarm to the government and to the international
community on this culture of impunity, nay, this culture of barbarity, and
press on the government to implement the Alston recommendations. It was
United Nations Special Rapporteur Philip Alston’s report in 2007 that
attributed the extra-judicial killings to a National Internal Security
Plan that is adopted by the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
Indeed, it is now incumbent upon the Arroyo government to prove its
sincerity in the peace process, starting with yielding the suspected
Military Intelligence Group/Military Intelligence Battalion perpetrators
and reversing the murderous trail of Oplan Bantay Laya 2.
We have seen so much anguish and blood, enough is enough! As
Commander-in-Chief of an armed forces that have kept alive the dark and
dirty secrets of Martial Law, Mrs. Arroyo is ultimately accountable for
Rebelyn’s death in the grand scheme of things.
BISHOP FELIXBERTO CALANG
Chairperson, InPeace Mindanao |
March 10, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Person:
Clara Rita “Claire” A. Padilla, JD
Executive Director
EnGendeRights, Inc.
Telefax: (+632) 3762578
Mobile: 0918-2182682
Email: engenderights@pldtdsl.net;
padillaclara@yahoo.com
Blog: http://clararitapadilla.blogspot.com
Women’s NGOs Cries Justice
for Rebelyn Pitao
Quezon City, March 10, 2009 – The torture, possible rape, and killing of
Rebelyn Pitao, a 20-year old civilian teacher and daughter of an NPA
commander, is evidence of the continuous human rights violations that is
happening under the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo administration. “The abduction
of Rebelyn on March 4 and later her body found dead on March 5 at the time
when women should be celebrating women’s gains and solidarity for their
causes this Women’s Month is indeed a slap in the face of all Filipino
women,” said Atty. Clara Rita A. Padilla, Executive Director of
EnGendeRights.
Atty. Padilla added, “All the perpetrators of this gruesome violence
against women, the four armed men and those who issued the orders, must
face accountability and be immediately dismissed from service after a
thorough investigation and hearing. Under the doctrine of due diligence,
the Philippine government has the ‘duty to prevent, investigate and punish
international law violations and pay just compensation.’”
“The Philippine government is directly responsible for the acts of the
perpetrators under the international law of State responsibility,”
continued Atty. Padilla. The Articles on State Responsibility adopted by
the International Law Commission and subsequently noted by the UN General
Assembly. Article 4 of the Articles provides:
Article 4. Conduct of Organs of a State
a) The conduct of any State organ shall be considered an act of that State
under international law, whether the organ exercises legislative,
executive, judicial or any other functions, whatever position it holds in
the organization of the State, and whatever its character as an organ of
the central Government or of a territorial unit of the State.
b) An organ includes any person or entity which has that status in
accordance with the internal law of the State.
Atty. Padilla stressed, “Thus, actions of the operatives that are
inconsistent with the Philippines’ international human rights obligations
amount to a failure by the State to fulfill its human rights obligations.
Having ratified the Conventions on Women, Torture, and Civil and Political
Rights, the Philippine government must put a stop to these human rights
violations.”
Inaction against the perpetrators and the continuing failure of the
judiciary to actively prosecute the perpetrators provide evidence of the
failure of the State to fulfill its human rights obligations and the
complete lack of will to address the human rights violations.
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From
www.philippinerevolution.net
Ka Parago’s daughter,
killed by AFP’s “dirty war”
Communist Party of the Philippines
March 6, 2009
The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) condemns in the strongest
possible terms the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for the
abduction, rape and murder of Rebelyn Pitao, 20, daughter of Leoncio “Ka
Parago” Pitao, head of the Pulang Bagani Command of the New People’s Army
in the Southern Mindanao Region.
The CPP extends its deepest sympathies to Ka Parago and his entire family
for their loss.
Rebelyn’s body was found early last night floating in a river in Carmen
town, Davao del Norte. There are signs that she was sexually molested
before being killed. She was abducted by armed men around 6 pm the day
before while on her way home in Sitio Bago Aplaya, Barangay Talomo, Davao
City. She just recently passed the national teacher’s board examination
and was set to teach at the St. Peter’s School in Toril, Davao City.
The AFP has no justification at all for abducting, molesting and murdering
Ka Parago’s daughter Rebelyn. By killing Rebelyn, the AFP has committed a
grave violation of international humanitarian law and rules of war, which
gives foremost protection to those not taking part in the armed conflict.
Rebelyn’s murder and the barbarities committed against her are undoubtedly
part of the dirty war being carried out by the AFP under Oplan Bantay Laya
2. Because of the “invisibility” of the guerrillas of the New People’s
Army and in a desperate attempt to retaliate for its losses in the theater
of war, the AFP has been viciously targeting unarmed civilians and has now
accelerated its fascist attacks against the loved ones and relatives of
revolutionaries. Fascist troops of the AFP were likewise responsible for
the murder of Ka Parago’s brother Danilo, who was killed in June 2008 in
Tagum City.
Ka Parago is being singled out by the AFP because of the string of
battlefield victories of the Pulang Bagani Command, which he leads. The
NPA in the Southern Mindanao Region where the Pulang Bagani Command
operates has successfully carried out hundreds of tactical offensives in
the past several years, dealing innumerable blows to the enemy.
The Filipino people and their revolutionary forces unite in expressing
their indignation at this abominable crime carried out by the fascist
elements of the AFP, particularly of the forces of the Philippine Army’s
10th ID and the paramilitary and vigilante groups under its command.
Rebelyn’s murder is a craven and barbarous act. The revolutionary movement
will not relent until justice is served on her murderers and all other
violators of human rights.
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From:
www.philippinerevolution.net
PRESS RELEASE
Information Bureau
Communist Party of the Philippines
NPA directed to arrest suspects in Pitao daughter's murder--CPPMarch
11, 2009
The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) today instructed the New
People's Army (NPA) to arrest and bring before the people's court with
dispatch several military suspects in the heinous crimes against Rebelyn
Pitao. Rebelyn, daughter of Leoncio Pitao (popularly known as Commander
Parago) of the Pulang Bagani Command of the NPA in the Southern Mindanao
Region, was a victim of abduction, rape, torture and murder by a group of
armed men who have recently been identified by several witnesses as
military intelligence agents of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
Through its Information Bureau, the CPP said preliminary investigations
conducted by revolutionary authorities in the Southern Mindanao Region
have already identified the perpetrators as Sgts. Adan Sulao and Ben
Tipait of the AFP's Military Intelligence Group XI, Cpl. Alvin Bitang of
the Military Intelligence Battalion (MIB) of the Philippine Army's 10th
Infantry Division, and a certain Pedregosa, another intelligence agent.
"These fascist agents are believed to have carried out this dastardly
crime in accordance with instructions from higher ups in their desperate
campaign to shatter the determination of Commander Parago and his fellow
NPA Red fighters in advancing the people's revolution," said the CPP.
Rebelyn was found dead last March 5, floating in a shallow creek at Purok
5, Barangay San Isidro, Carmen, Davao del Norte. Armed men abducted her
around 6 p.m. the previous day while on her way home to Sitio Bago Aplaya,
Barangay Bago Galleria, Talomo District, Davao City.
"These suspects should be sought and arrested so they could undergo
investigation by duly authorized revolutionary authorities and face
criminal charges," added the CPP. Upon conclusion of the preliminary
investigation, a people's court can immediately be constituted by local
revolutionary committees.
The CPP also held the highest officials of the Arroyo government and the
AFP responsible for the murder of Rebelyn.
"Ultimately, it is Gloria Arroyo and her top fascist henchmen who are to
blame for the crimes against Rebelyn Pitao. Arroyo's Oplan Bantay Laya 2
has long regarded civilians as targets of military operations including
killings, abuctions, torture and other forms of fascism. This has now been
most hideously extended to apply as well to loved ones and relatives of
armed revolutionaries the fascists cannot get hold of."
The CPP dismissed as "empty rhetoric” the pronouncements of Arroyo and her
defense officials that it is investigating the murder of Rebelyn. "How can
the Arroyo and her factotums be sincere in seeking justice for Rebelyn's
murder when they have, in fact, made this inevitable in the strategy,
tactics and course of of their counter-revolutionary war? By commending,
promoting and rewarding her notorious fascist generals, Arroyo has in fact
directly encouraged the Armed Forces of the Philippines to engage in such
brutal and dastardly crimes," added the CPP.
The CPP pointed out that Rebelyn's murder highlights the Arroyo regime's
innumerable crimes against unarmed civilians who are invariably regarded
by the military and its "counter-insurgency" strategists as combatants in
the raging civil war.
Reference:
Marco Valbuena
Media Officer
Cellphone Numbers: 09179776392 :: 09282242061
E-mail:cppmedia@gmail.com
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