Stop harassment of human rights defenders!

http://www.karapatan.org/Stop+harassment+of+human+rights+defenders%21

“Leave our fellow human rights defender Sherwin de Vera alone!” Karapatan demanded from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for threatening and harassing De Vera, former secretary general of Ilocos Human Rights Alliance (IHRA), a regional chapter of Karapatan. De Vera is the regional coordinator of Bayan Muna Partylist and a researcher-activist against large-scale and destructive mining in Ilocos, particularly of black sand mining corporations.

De Vera has been receiving text messages (SMS), as early as 2011, recruiting him to be an informant of the AFP and at the same time imputing on his so-called involvement in the underground movement.  AFP personnel are reportedly harassing even De Vera’s relatives.

On June 20, 2014, de Vera’s uncle Benjamin Pacris received a call from an unidentified number. When he answered, a male voice introduced himself as a member of a certain National Intelligence Service Agency (NISA). The caller wanted a personal meeting with Pacris, who in turn acceded to meet the man at the Provincial Capitol. The male caller came with a certain “Milo” and “Joey” who were members of “NISA”. Milo said he is in-charge of “NISA’s” operations in Ilocos Norte and Abra.

“Milo” and “Joey” asked about Sherwin de Vera and his activities, such as his involvement with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), and with organizations opposed to the mining operations in the region. “Milo” convinced Pacris to arrange a meeting between him and De Vera, and provided a contact number.

On June 29, de Vera got messages (SMS) from “Larry” with cellphone number 09395919363. “Larry” offered De Vera P10, 000.00 a month for “monitoring work on sectoral organizations”. The offer may increase “depnde s cooperatn at level ng position” (depending on your cooperation and level of position).

In one of the messages sent by “Larry”, he implied that De Vera is a member of a “Party”, “Alam ko mlalim ng kamulatan mo s Partido, im nt attempting to break that, pagisipan mo lang offer ko” (I know your deep involvement in the Party, I am not attempting to break that, just think about my offer).  De Vera did not reply to this message and to the others that followed.

As early as February 2011, De Vera has been haunted with similar text messages: “kamusta kan kabsat? ASIDEG KAN” (How are you brother? YOU’RE NEAR); “Awagam amin nga santon! Kumpay ni patay umayen” (Call all the saints! The shadow of death is near.); and, “pagyamanam no makastrek ka pay no bigat” (Be thankful if you’ll be able to come to work tomorrow).

In 2010, while De Vera worked at the University of Northern Philippines, the military ordered the Campus Security Division (CSSD) Chief Nolito Ragunjan to monitor closely De Vera’s activities. As early as 2004, the AFP has labelled De Vera of being a member of the CPP-NPA when he was a researcher and community educator for Save the Abra River Movement.

“The AFP is not only recruiting Sherwin but also harassing and intimidating him. The intelligence group wants to tell Sherwin that he is being suspected as a member of the CPP and that he is under surveillance. This is a cause of alarm for human rights defenders, especially with the Aquino administration’s Oplan Bayanihan. Many of those who were victims of extrajudicial killings were once subjects of threat, harassment and red tagging,” Palabay said.

Karapatan said these threats and harassment should stop, as the organization also called for the passage of House Bill 1472 “Human Rights Defenders’ Protection Act of 2013” filed by Bayan Muna Reps. Neri Colmenares and Carlos Zarate, which seeks to recognize the role of human rights defenders and provide protection mechanisms especially to those who are at risk. This bill has been pending since 2013.

Reference:
Cristina “Tinay” Palabay
Secretary General
+63917-3162831

Angge Santos
Media Liaison
+63918-9790580

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PUBLIC INFORMATION DESK
publicinfo@karapatan.org
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Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights
2nd Flr. Erythrina Building
#1 Maaralin corner Matatag Streets
Central District, Diliman
Quezon City, PHILIPPINES 1101
Telefax: (+63 2) 4354146
Web: http://www.karapatan.org

KARAPATAN is an alliance of human rights organizations and programs, human rights desks and committees of people’s organizations, and individual advocates committed to the defense and promotion of people’s rights and civil liberties.  It monitors and documents cases of human rights violations, assists and defends victims and conducts education, training and campaign.

Samahan ng Ex-Detainees Laban sa Detensyon at Aresto (SELDA) calls on the Department of Justice to immediately release political prisoner Benny Barid, 54, on humanitarian grounds. 

Barid was rushed to the New Bilibid Prisons (NBP) Hospital-Maximum Security due to chronic asthmatic bronchitis with emphysema.  Barid has been going in and out of the NBP hospital for his asthma attacks since 2010, because of unhealthy prison conditions. The asthma attacks became more frequent for lack of proper and adequate medical attention that has now worsened to chronic asthmatic bronchitis.

Barid cannot stand by himself. He has been on wheelchair and is very weak and thin. Fellow political prisoners are helping him for his medical needs. His further stay at the NBP Hospital made him more vulnerable to various communicable diseases.

There are now 504 political prisoners; and of the 504, 53 are with various ailments. Like Barid, they should be immediately released on humanitarian grounds. Several other ailing political prisoners died while in detention because of lack of proper medical attention, among them Crisanto Fat and Alison Alcantara.

A victim of trumped up charges, Barid was arrested in July 2006. He was accused of involvement in an alleged massacre that supposed to have happened in 2004 in Ilocos Norte. For this, he was sentenced with three counts of life imprisonment.

Prior to this, Barid’s child was hostaged by the military to force him to surrender.

Reference:
Jigs Clamor
national coordinator
+639175965859

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SELDA National Office:
2/F, Erythrina Building
#1 Maaralin corner Matatag Streets,
Brgy. Central District, Diliman
Quezon City 1101, Philippines
Tel: 632-4342837
Fax: 632-4354146
Email: selda.phils@gmail.com,
selda_phil@yahoo.com.ph
Web: www.seldapilipinas.wordpress.com

The Samahan ng Ex-Detainees Laban sa Detensyon at Aresto (SELDA) is an organization of former political prisoners in the Philippines. Founded on December 4, 1984, SELDA was initiated by newly-released political prisoners of the martial law period.  SELDA’s primary task is to work for the release of all political prisoners and to see to it that humane treatment of those who are still in detention are complied with by the Philippine authorities.  SELDA advocates justice for current and former political prisoners.  It calls for the mobilisation of resources in support of political prisoners, former detainees and their families.  It carries out legislative advocacy for the indemnification and rehabilitation of political prisoners. SELDA goes into partnership and builds solidarity with concerned individuals and groups for the freedom and welfare of political prisoners and all victims of tyranny.

The Human Rights Lawyers Association of Aotearoa/New Zealand strongly condemns the murder of Attorney Rodolfo R. Felicio. We extend our deepest sympathies to Attorney Felicio’s family, friends and colleagues at the NUPL.

The NUPL has an impressive record of standing up for the marginalised of Philippine society and supporting human rights around the World. The murders of five NUPL members over the past decade are an injustice that should concern lawyers around the World. We call for an end to violence and intimidation against lawyers and other human rights defenders in the Philippines for simply doing their job.

The murder of Attorney Felicio must be fully investigated and the perpetrators held accountable.

Yours Sincerely,

Andrew Britton and David Tong
Co-Chairs
Human Rights Lawyers Association Aoteoroa New Zealand

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Attorney Rodolfo R. Felicio, a member of the National Union of Peoples Lawyers, was gunned down while working on a land dispute in Rizal, east of Manila. Two caretakers of the disputed land were also injured in the attack.

Attorney Felicio was involved in important legal work, such as launching a private prosecution against those allegedly responsible for the infamous 1986 kidnap, torture and murder of Filipino trade union leader Rolando Olalia and his driver Leonor Alay-ay. He also was a member of the Quick Response team, staffed by members of the NUPL and human rights organisation Karapatan, to immediately respond to cases of human rights abuses, such as extrajudicial killings of political activists committed by the security forces and paramilitary groups. He provided legal advice to clients in a number of land disputes.

Read also: Rights Lawyers Mourn Killing of Colleague