11 FNB Activists tortured and arrested in the Philippines Posted by Marek Vermin on February 25th, 2006
A group of FNB activists, mostly youth, were arrested and tortured by police who claim to have mistaken them as New People’s Army guerillas.
They were apparently forced under torture to confess to bogus affiliations with the NPA. However, they were all backpackers on their way to Sagada for a hike in the countryside after attending a punk concert in Tarlac and members of the anti-war activist group, Food Not Bombs.
The government of the Philippines has declared a state of martial law in reaction to a failed military coup, and has been utilizing the state of emergency to clamp down on and silence any opposition, including newspapers and peace activists. The government has had many extreme corruption scandals recently and has fallen under intense criticism from many parties, left and right. More information can be found here.
At the end of this letter is a petition. Please disseminate this information and contact a consulate of the Philippines near you to let them know that the world is watching now. If you live in Calgary, here is the contact info for the representative of the Philippines:
Mr. Felixberto M. Guerrero,
Honorary Consul General
590, 10201 Southport Road S.W.
Calgary, Alberta T2W 4X9
Tel (403) 253-7007; Fax (403) 2537-7012
I was sent this e-mail by one of our myspace friends in the Philippines who knows members of the group now known as the Sagada 11. It has only been edited for grammar to make it more readable.
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Dear Friends, Comrades, Affinity Groups, Autonomists, Collectives, Scenesters….
This is an info dissemination campaign regarding the 11 arrested friends of collectives in the Philippines.
Situation…
Me and 2 others are currently here in Southern Philippines when we received the news about our friends being arrested and tortured by the PNP in Benguet Province. Since the local media news/reports and even the ones posted on Manila Indymedia site gave them the image of “tourists/backpackers” most of us decided at the meeting that we better maintain this projection as it would be an advantage to our friends in jail.
On the other hand, our capabilities become limited to launch all immediate sorts of campaigns regarding on this issue since the President of the Philippines yesterday declared a National State of Emergency as a failed coup plot allegedly perpetrated by the joint forces of NPA guerillas, mutinying soldiers and young officers took place yesterday morning. Since then, almost everyone on the streets can be arrested without warrants, all rallies are banned – even though its supposed to commemorate the Edsa Uprising of People Power in 1986 – and, as of yesterday afternoon, the National Telecommunications Commission called all the media to give strict guidelines on news and reports; any journalist interviewing communists, progressives and other groups or individuals dissenting against the state will be arrested. At 12:30 am the Manila Tribune was also raided by the Crime Investigation Division Group. See this news article for more details.
Since yesterday all sms text messages we have tried to send to our correspondents in northern Luzon have failed. Massive arrests also took place against leftist figureheads, whether in the streets, offices, or homes…
The local context has been one of incredibly high tension between the Police/military and the armed communist guerrillas since the National Democratic Front has claimed that the mutinying Soldiers joined forces with them to oust the GMA. Although the New People’s Army has already sent a statement denying any involvement in their organization by the 11 youngsters arrested by the police in Benguet Province, the Police officers involved with the arrests and torture still insisted that the arrested teens were members of NPA undergoing a test training. The difficulties we face are that, first, if the cops manage to get even a small evidence that the teens were involved with activist groups, even if it isn’t related to the NPA as the police bastards claim, they’ll have lesser chances of getting out on jail. Also, the charges filed against them are homicide and robbery. Next, we’re struggling to have a legal defense support group render us their services. We admit that this is what we lack here. If anyone gets arrested we don’t know whom to turn to.
The conditions of the 11 arrested backpackers is hardly known except through an interview conducted by Cordillera Human Rights Group (the group is affiliated with the Maoist NDF-CPP-NPA). One of the worst parts of the scenario is that there are 2 minors with them; one was a 15 year old girl and the other is a 16 year old boy. All of them were forced to admit that they’re related with NPA. They were severely tortured and all of their belongings were taken immediately when the police inspection/checkpoint patrol ordered them to get off the truck they were hitching on…
All our thoughts of immediate concern is to provide them with communication with their parents (around 5 of them we’re from far away provinces….), get them legal assistance, provide food and medicine/doctor check-up, and to raise funds to finance these expenses.
There are too many human rights violations committed against these nature and freedom-loving kids and we’re not that familiar on how to pursue cases against the policemen involved in these abuses.
For this reason, we are seeking assistance to help us with the campaign to Free the Sagada 11. Below is a copy of the Petition. We need signatories.
Let us know if there is anyway you can help/assist us on this campaign.
Thank You .
Yours in spirit and resistance,
Terry
p.s. here’s a list of linx where you can read about the 11 arrested Backpackers…
http://a-manila.org
http://manila.indymedia.org/
http://manila.indymedia.org/?action=newswire&parentview=6807
http://manila.indymedia.org/?action=newswire&parentview=6833
http://www.philstar.com/philstar/NEWS200602259906.htm
http://news.inq7.net/regions/index.php?index=1&story_id=67360
http://news.inq7.net/regions/index.php?index=1&story_id=66957
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Petition for the Unconditional Release of the Sagada 11
25 Feb 2006 10:09:52 AM
As the Sagada 11 group’s friends, comrades, fellow musicians, and peace-loving people who respect human rights, we demand:
1. The immediate and unconditional release of the Sagada 11
2. A public apology and rightful compensation to be issued to the victims and their families
3. The termination of the responsible people from their duties as police officers and government workers, whether they are directly or indirectly involved.
An online petition to all who respect human rights and dignity
Free the Sagada 11!
Last February 14, a group of 11 backpackers went to Baguio to join the festivities in the annual Baguio Flower Festival and proceed to the idyllic mountain paradise of Sagada. They were:
1. Rundren Berloize Lao, 24, from Davao City
2. Aldoz Christian Munoza, 18, of Santolan, Pasig City
3. Darwin Alazar y Padilla, 21, native of Tipuso, Urdaneta City, Pangasinan
4. Arvie Nunez, 21, native of Silang, Mayaw, Lucena City
5. Ray Lester Mendoza y Esquerra, 16, from San Francisco, Makati City
6. Neil Russel Balajadia, 25, from Santolan, Pasig City
7. Jethro Villegas, 21, single, of Malagos, Calinan, Davao City
8. Anderson Alonzo, 18, also of Malagos, Calinan, Davao City
9. Ronron Pandino, 20, from San Quintin, Laguna
10. Frencess Ann Bernal, 15, of Camupang, Marikina City
11.Jefferson dela Rosa y dela Cruz, 20, of Santolan, Pasig City.
All of them just wanted to have some fun, after their musical tour (they came from a punk music event that was held in Tarlac).
At around 6 a.m of the same day, the group hitchhiked aboard a dump truck along the Baguio-Bontoc Road (Halsema Highway). This was their mode of transportation to Sagada. Around noontime, without any provocation, they were held in gunpoint by police looking for New People’s Army (NPA) rebels at a checkpoint in Bangao village, Buguias town, northern Benguet.
“Tinutukan agad ng mga baril na mahahaba” from the words of Rundren Lao, one of the lads that were accused as NPAs. They were kicked and manhandled as there were obvious signs of torture all over their bodies. The parents of the victims were aghast when they saw the group of youth – bruised, wounded and still in a state of shock. The group were tied, some handcuffed, and were brought forcefully to the station of the 1604th Police Mobile Group in Camp Molintas, Abatan, also in Benguet.
The actions done by the Benguet Police were definitely wrong, however you look at it. These acts deserve condemnation, if not punishment by recalling all those involved from their duties. The Sagada 11 are innocent, adventure loving trekkers. Most likely, due to the macho, prejudiced and unintelligent nature of police officers and the backwardness of the police institution itself, they have assumed that these individuals are “communists” and “armed rebels” due to the fact that they look and dress different (punks tend to dress differently – Rundren Lao even had dreadlocks which he cut in his attempt to escape to maintain a low profile). The closest they can be related to “rebellion” is due to their involvement with the non-violent peace organization Food not Bombs, a vegetarian anti-war group where the main activity is to recycle food to feed the poor and hungry homeless vagrants all throughout the country.
As the Sagada 11 group’s friends, comrades, fellow musicians, and peace-loving people who respect human rights, we demand for:
1. The immediate and unconditional release of the Sagada 11
2. A public apology and rightful compensation to be issued to the victims and their families
3. The termination of the responsible people from their duties as police officers and government workers, whether they are directly or indirectly involved.
FREE THE SAGADA 11!
STOP POLICE REPRESSION AND BUTALITY!
RESPECT HUMAN RIGHTS!
Help us free the Sagada 11. Let the world know and denounce the wickedness done by those of the Benguet Police Force and the Philippine State’s repressive nature. If you agree with our statement and our demands, you can do these:
1. Send this letter to all your friends or any person in your contact list. You can help in the dissemination of information. You can also include your name or your group’s name under the signatories below before you forward them.
2. Write a letter, or if you’re within the locale or if you have ample funds to make a long distance phone call, get in touch with the following people, demanding the Sagada 11’s unconditional release and the condemnation of the actions that were done to them.
Police Chief Superintendent RAUL SANCHEZ GONZALES
Regional Director (Acting)
Police Regional Office for Cordillera Administrative Region (PRO CAR)
PRO CAR Camp Bado Dangwa, La Trinidad,
Benguet (098) 541-0850/[SAT] 0985-410-850
JOVENCITO R. ZUÑO
Chief State Prosecutor
Direct Line (632)525-0952
Trunkline (632)523-8481 loc. 219; 281
Telefax (632)525-0952
E-mail jrz (at) doj.gov.ph
DOJ ACTION CENTER
Tel. No. (632)536-0450
TERESITA R. DOMINGO
Senior State Prosecutor
DOJ ACTION CENTER, REGION I
SAN FERNANDO, LA UNION
Tel. No. (63)(72) 700-3599
NONATUS CEASAR R. ROXAS
PUBLIC ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
DOJ Agencies Bldg., NIA Road cor. East Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City
Tel. No. (632)929-9010; (632)924-1396
PERSIDA V. RUEDA-ACOSTA
Chief Public Attorney
PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE
Internal Affairs Service
For Police Services Complaints or Complaints on a Police Officer
Dial (632) 899-7504
3. If you are based in another country, write your local Philippine Embassy regarding this issue or conduct actions in front of the embassy to pressure officials.
4. If you or your group are within the vicinity of Baguio City, or are willing to travel there, join the camp out initiated by some members of the support group.
Furthermore, we give our thanks to those who supported the Sagada 11 in the legal aspect: the Cordillera People’s Alliance (CPA), KARAPATAN, the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG), and Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP).
Free the Sagada 11 Solidarity Campaign
Initial Signatories:
Organizations:
- a-Manila.org (web)
- Earth First! Philippines
- Local anarchist Network
- Food not Bombs (all Philippine sections)
- Project Aperture
- Not For Sale
