UA No: 2011-07-02
July 28, 2011
Arbitrary/Illegal arrest and Detention; Violation of the Rights of Arrested or Detained Persons
Victim/s
IVER BUNDA LARIT
41 years old, married with four children
Liaison officer of the United Negros Drivers and Operators Center (UNDOC)
Resident of Purok Maghili-ugyon, Mansilingan village, Bacolod City, Negros Occidental
Place of Incident :
Mansilingan village, Bacolod City, Negros Occidental
Date of Incident :
July 7, 2011
Alleged Perpetrator(s)
12 intelligence operatives, from the Philippine National Police Station 7 led by Police Insp. Levy G. Pangue, and the 303rd Infantry Brigade led by Civilian Military Officer Lt. Col. Isabelo delos Reyes
Account of the Incident:
On July 7, 2011, at around 5:30 pm, Iver was helping carry a coffin into a neighbor’s house in Mansilingan village, when a group of armed men in plainclothes arrived, led by Police Insp. Levy G. Pangue who identified himself and presented a warrant. Pangue asked Iver to come to the Police Station, but the latter refused because the warrant was for a “Ricky Larit.” The armed men insisted to seize Iver, even as he asked to urinate first, and said: “I have no plan to run away, I will go with you… but I am not the person in that warrant of arrest, and even my neighbors here could attest that I have no criminal record.”
The men ignored his words and forced him into a gray vehicle which brought him to Police Station 7 in Mansilingan village, Bacolod City. At the Police Station 7, the intelligence operatives wanted to take Iver’s mugshot with the name tag “Ricky Larit” but Iver resisted. They also tried to make him sign a warrant issued by Judge Moises Nifras on August 8, 2006 based on a charge of robbery-in-band, but Iver refused to do so, because he was not the person named in the warrant.
Iver was locked up overnight at Police Station 7. At 7 am on July 8, he was transported to San Carlos City, Negros Occidental and presented to the Regional Trial Court branch 59, where he was charged with robbery-in-band with no bail recommended.
Inside the court, the clerk of court asked him to sign the warrant of arrest, which he again refused to do. Judge Catherine Go issued a commitment order, and set his arraignment on August 10, 2011. Iver was transported to Escalante City where he is still detained.
Recommended Action:
Send letters, emails or fax messages calling for:
The dropping of fabricated charges and immediate release of Iver Larit.
The military to stop the labeling and targeting of human rights defenders as “members of front organizations of the communists” and “enemies of the state.”
The Philippine Government to withdraw its counterinsurgency program Oplan Bayanihan, which victimizes innnocent and unarmed civillians
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. 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: corres@op.gov.ph / opnet@ops.gov.ph
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
osec@opapp.gov.ph
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) 911-9281 / 911-0488
Fax:+63(2) 911 6213
Email: osnd@philonline.com
Atty. Leila De Lima
Secretary, Department of Justice
Padre Faura St., Manila
Direct Line 521-8344; 5213721
Trunkline 523-84-81 loc.214
Fax: (+632) 521-1614
Email: soj@doj.gov.ph
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: chair.rosales.chr@gmail.com, lorettann@gmail.com
Please send us a copy of your email/mail/fax to the above-named government officials, to our address below.
URGENT ACTION Prepared by:
KARAPATAN Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights
National Office
2/F Erythrina Bldg., #1 Maaralin cor Matatag Sts.,
Brgy. Central, Diliman, Quezon City 1100 PHILIPPINES
Voice/Fax: (+632) 435 4146
Email: urgentaction@karapatan.org
Website: www.karapatan.org
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KARAPATAN Documentation Committee
KARAPATAN Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights
2/F Erythrina Building, #1 Maaralin cor. Matatag Sts,
Central District, Quezon City 1101, Philippines
Tel. Nos: (+63 2) 4354146 or 4342837
email: docu@karapatan.org
http://www.karapatan.org
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KARAPATAN Urgent Action Alert
KARAPATAN Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights
2/F Erythrina Building, #1 Maaralin cor. Matatag Sts.,
Central District, 1101 Quezon City, Philippines
Telefax: (632) 435 4146
