Philippine Army soldiers kill MAPASU leader Henry Alameda

URGENT ALERT: Extra-Judicial Killing of MAPASU Council Member HENRY ALAMEDA

Case: Extra-Judicial Killing

Victim/s: HENRY ALAMEDA, 44 years old, Manobo, resident of Cabalawan, San Isidro, Lianga, Surigao del Sur, married, active council member of Malahutayong Pakigbisog Alang Sa Sumusunod (MAPASU).

Place of Incident: Sitio Cabalawan, San Isidro, Lianga, Surigao del Sur

Date of Incident: October 24, 2014 at 7am

Alleged Perpetrator(s): Operating troops of the 2nd Scout Ranger Batallion, based in St. Christine, Lianga, Surigao del Sur under LTC. Jesus Durante; Operating troops of the 36th IB PA; 3rd Special Forces Battalion, under the 401st Brigade, Philippine Army; CAFGU; Members of the paramilitary group of Calpit Egua.

Account of the Incident:

On the early morning of October 24, 2014 an undetermined number of troops belonging to the 2ndScout Ranger Batallion, PA were on foot patrol in Upper Oregon, Logdeck, San Isidro, Lianga. About 17 of those troops including members of Datu Calpit Egua’s paramilitary group went to the neighboring Sitio Cabalawan, San Isidro, Lianga, Surigao del Sur.

At around 7 o’clock in the morning, HENRY ALAMEDA had just finished eating breakfast when three armed men carrying M14 and M16 rifles suddenly went up and inside their house in Sitio Cabalawan, Brgy. San Isidro, Lianga, Surigao del Sur. The armed men forcibly dragged Henry outside towards the forested area. Upon passing by the waiting shed near the house Henry, refusing to go with the armed men held on to one of the posts.  One of the armed men then shot Henry twice hitting him on the chest while another one shot him on the head. The killing was witnessed by Henry’s wife and their children.  The armed men left going towards the forested area after shooting Henry.

In the afternoon of the same day military troops and CAFGU members were seen in Sitio Cabalawan.

Operating troops of the 2nd Scout Ranger Battalion, 36th IB PA and the 3rd Special Forces Battalion, under the 401st Brigade of the Philippine Army has been launching military operations in the mountain areas of Agusan del Sur and Surigao del Norte. Accompanying the military troops are members of the CAFGU and paramilitary group of Calpit Egua.

Karapatan-Caraga believes that the extra-judicial killing of Henry Alameda, active council member of MAPASU, a lumad organization strongly protesting against mining operations and land conversion/plantations, is part of the AFP’s anti-insurgency campaign Oplan Bayanihan to ensure the entry and operations of large scale mining and plantations in Caraga.

Recommended Action:

Send letters, emails or fax messages calling for:

1. The immediate cessation of military operations.
2. Immediate investigation of the incident
3. Immediate arrest of perpetrators.
4. The Philippine Government to observe the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and all the major human rights instruments that it is a party and signatory to.

You may send your communications to:

H.E. Benigno C. Aquino III
President of the Republic
Malacañang Palace,
JP Laurel St., San Miguel
Manila Philippines
Voice: (+632) 564 1451 to 80
Fax: (+632) 742-1641 / 929-3968
E-mail: [email protected]

Sec. Teresita Quintos-Deles
Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process
Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP)
7th Floor Agustin Building I
Emerald Avenue
Pasig City 1605
Voice:+63 (2) 636 0701 to 066
Fax:+63 (2) 638 2216
[email protected]

Ret. Lt. Gen. Voltaire T. Gazmin
Secretary, Department of National Defense
Room 301 DND Building, Camp Emilio Aguinaldo,
E. de los Santos Avenue, Quezon City
Voice:+63(2) 911-6193 / 911-0488 / 982-5600
Fax:+63(2) 982-5600
Email: [email protected]
[email protected]

Atty. Leila De Lima
Secretary, Department of Justice
Padre Faura St., Manila
Direct Line 521-1908
Trunkline 523-84-81 loc.211/214
Fax: (+632) 523-9548
Email: [email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]

Hon. Loretta Ann P. Rosales
Chairperson, Commission on Human Rights
SAAC Bldg., UP Complex
Commonwealth Avenue
Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
Voice: (+632) 928-5655, 926-6188
Fax: (+632) 929 0102
Email: [email protected]
[email protected]

Please send us a copy of your email/mail/fax to the above-named government officials, to our address below:

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PUBLIC INFORMATION DESK
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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.