URGENT ACTION by KARAPATAN (Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights)

Health workers, including the wife of Karapatan Deputy Secretary General, illegally arrested in military raid in Rizal province, Philippines

Case: Violation of Domicile; Destruction of property; Abduction, Divestment of Property; Illegal Search and Seizure; Illegal Arrest; Illegal Detention; Torture; Threat, Harassment and Intimidation, Fear for Safety

Victim/s :
Abducted, Illegally Arrested and illegally detained(partial list)
1. Dr. Merry Mia, Health Education and Training Services coordinator for Council for Health and Development (CHD), wife of Mr. Roneo Clamor (KARAPATAN Deputy Secretary General)
2. Dr. Alexis Montes
3. Gary Liberal, Registered Nurse (Jose Reyes Medical Memorial Center)
4. Teresa Quinawayan, Midwife
5. Lydia Obera, community health worker
6. Reynaldo Macabenta, community health worker
7. Angela Doloricon, community health worker
8. Delia Ocasia, community health worker
9. Jane Balleta, community health worker
10. Janice Javier, community health worker
11. Franco Remoroso, community health worker
12. Ailene Monasteryo, community health worker
13. Pearl Irene Martinez, community health worker
14. Elen Carandang, community health worker
15. Dany Panero, community health worker
16. Rayom Among, community health worker
17. Emily Marquez, community health worker
18. Emelia Marquez, community health worker
19. Glenda Murillo, community health worker
20. Ace Millena, community health worker
21. Ely Castillo, community health worker
22. Lalyn Saligumba, community health worker
23. Jovy Ortiz, community health worker
24. Samsung Castillo, community health worker
25. Mark Estrellado, community health worker
26. Miann Oseo, community health worker
27. Selvia Pajanosta, community health worker
28. Lolibeth Donasco, community health worker
29. Jenelyn Pizaro, community health worker
30. Ramon de la Cruz, community health worker
31. Jacqueline Gonzales, community health worker
32. Maria Elena Serato, community health worker
33. Mercy Castro, community health worker
34. Lea de Luna, community health worker
35. Judilyn Oliveros, community health worker
36. Valentino Paulino, community health worker
37. Yolanda Yaun, community health worker
38. Edwin Dematera, community health worker
39. Sherilyn Riocasa Tawagon, community health worker
40. Gerry Sustinto, community health worker
41. Jenmark Barrientos, community health worker
42. Mark Escartin, community health worker

Place of Incident: Residential compound of Dr. Melecia Velmonte in Bgy. Maybangcal,
Morong, Rizal

Date of Incident: 06 February 2010

Alleged Perpetrator(s): Joint elements of the 202nd Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army (202nd IBPA), and Rizal Philippine National Police (PNP) headed by Colonel Aurelio Baladad, commander of the 202nd Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army based in Tanay, Rizal and Police Superintendent Marion Balonglong of the Rizal PNP.

Account of the Incident: On February 1, around 40 medical practitioners and health workers participated in a one week First Responders Training, sponsored by the Community Medicine Foundation, Inc. (COMMED) and Council for Health and Development (CHD) at Dr. Melecia Velmonte’s Farm, a conference and training facility in Morong, Rizal.

Dr. Velmonte is a renowned and respected infectious disease specialist and a consultant at the Philippine General Hospital. Her farm is a regular venue of health trainings, with participants coming from both the communities and the academe.

At around 6:15 am on February 6, 2010, around 300 heavily armed elements of the military and police forced their way into the farm of Dr. Melecia Velmonte in Bgy. Maybangcal, Morong, Rizal. At gunpoint, the military forced the caretaker to open the gates. Inside, the soldiers fanned out to different directions. They also kicked the main door to get into the building.

When Dr. Velmonte and her son, Bob demanded for a search warrant, they were merely brushed aside by the military. All medical practitioners and health workers, were ordered to line up at the garage, frisked, and handcuffed. The victims were also questioned and photographed by the military, while another took a video recording of the interrogation. The male victims were then blindfolded with old shirts brought in by the soldiers and secured with packaging tape. All of the personal belongings of the victims were also taken by the military.

When the participants were already handcuffed, it was only then that Police Superintendent Marion P. Balonglong showed Bob a search warrant for a certain Mario Condes of Bgy. Maybangcal, Morong, Rizal, charged with illegal possession of firearms. The search warrant dated February 5, 2010 and issued by Judge Cesar A. Mangrobang of Branch 22 of the Imus, Cavite Regional Trial Court, did not indicate the exact address of the Velmonte compound.

Bob asserted that the warrant did not specify their address, and that Mario Condes, who is subject of the warrant, is not even the owner of the house, but he was ignored by the authorities.

Outside the compound, were eight (8) vehicles. Along with the four (4) 6 x 6 military trucks were two (2) Armored Personnel Carriers (APC), a KIA Pride car, and an ambulance. Some of the vehicles had no plate numbers while the rest of the license plates were either covered, or smeared with mud.

The male health workers were loaded into the military trucks while female health workers were forced into the cars and vans. They were brought to Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal, headquarters of the 202nd Infantry Brigade of Philippine Army.

The military declared that the victims were members of the New People’s Army because of the explosives allegedly found inside the compound. However, according to witnesses, the military conducted the search of the compound’s premises only after all of the victims, as well as the residents, were already outside the buildings. Witnesses also said that the military have brought in with them plastic bags with the GMA Kapuso logo printed on it.

Allegedly found were C4 explosives, a pistol with seven bullets, 3 grenades (one allegedly found under a pillow); beside the grenade were some improvised landmines. However, Bob said that they were not issued a receipt of the inventory of the said firearms and explosives.

The military and police arresting team were led by Col. Aurelio Baladad and Police Superintendent Marion Balonglong.

The illegal search of the Velmonte compound ended at past 9:00 in the morning of Saturday, February 6, 2010.

Prior to the incident, one of the participants related that on February 4, the grassy portion outside of the Velmonte compound caught fire at around 8:00 in the evening. Everyone panicked and went out of their sleeping quarters fearing the fire will cross over to the compound. Fortunately it did not and the fire died on its own.

On February 5, at around 11:00 pm, the dog tied near the male sleeping quarters and the geese nearby made a raucous. Then at around 12 midnight, the chickens in a coop nearby were also disturbed and cackled furiously. One of the male participants went out twice to check but did not see anybody.

In the afternoon of the February 6, Karapatan Deputy Secretary General Roneo Clamor, husband of Dr. Merry Mia, Olive Bernardo, Karapatan Services Head, along with Karapatan counsel, Atty. Ephraim Cortez, Dr. Geneve Rivera and Dr. Edelina De La Paz, chairperson of Health Action for Human Rights (HAHR), went to Camp Capinpin to inquire about the victims. They were not allowed to enter the camp premises.

On February 7, families and relatives of the illegally arrested went to Camp Capinpin to try to visit and see the conditions of the victims. They waited at the gate and held a short program but the 2nd Infantry Division played very loud music trying to drown the speeches of the family members and their supporters. Two groups of fierce-looking dispersal units (with firearms and shields) were dispatched and blocked the gate of the camp. Later, Mr. Clamor and Dr. Caguiat were allowed to enter the camp premises but once again were not allowed to see the victims because allegedly they will be presented for inquest. They waited until very late in the afternoon no inquest took place.

On February 8, the team remained in Camp Capinpin. It was heard over the radio that the 2nd IDPA issued a statement that an inquest took place at past 9:00 in the evening of the previous day. The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) issued a statement condemning the act of the arresting team. A team was dispatched by the CHR to Camp Capinpin. It was allowed to enter camp and Chairperson Leila De Lima was to follow later.

Suddenly, the 2nd IDPA provided a tent, chairs, breads and juices for the people at the gate. The loud music was turned off.

When Chairperson De Lima arrived, the relatives requested her to intercede to allow them to see the victims. She agreed. However, only Chairperson De Lima with Dr. Rivera and two relatives were allowed to enter the camp. The other victims were denied entrance despite the agreement that all the relatives would be allowed to.

At around 3:00 pm, Chairperson De Lima went out of the camp and briefed the waiting families and relatives. She told the soldiers to allow the relatives to see their loved ones. They were finally allowed to enter. They entered by batches of seven. There were three batches.

They were only allowed 30 minutes each to speak to their loved ones. They could not freely talk because they were closely guarded by soldiers. But despite this, the horrors of what the victims suffered under their captors were revealed. It was learned that they were blindfolded and their hands bound behind with a plastic cuff since they were arrested until a few hours before Chairperson De Lima arrived. They slept sitting down but when the CHR team arrived, they were already placed in quarters with beds. All females were put together in one big room while the males were either given their own room or sharing a room with another with toilets. Their meals were fed to them and their guards pull down their underwears for them everytime they go to the comfort rooms. The female guards even washed the private parts of women detainee. They were deprived of sleep because they were repeatedly interrogated. Others related that the interrogation was done in unholy hours with the clear intention to deprive them of sleep.

Others related that they were physically tortured.

Dr. Alexis Montes complained to his son that his shoulders are sore from being pulled back due to the prolonged binding of his hands behind his back. He also told his son that during interrogation, he was told that he was standing at the edge of a ravine and everytime he answered a question, he was poked with a pair of stick forcing him backward. He also said that he was electrocuted. He did not lose
consciousness but was paralyzed for a time.

Ely Castillo softly whispered to his sister to avoid being overheard by the soldier accompanying her that he was tortured. He was not able to elaborate because of the presence of the soldier.

Dr. Merry Mia related to her husband that she was alternately interrogated by “kind” and harsh men. The “kind” interrogators only asked about personal details, the harsh ones threatened her by saying “You know what we are capable of doing to you and your family.” “We will soon know who your husband is.” She was also asked over and over again where she lives, where she studied, and what her task was in the training, etc. There was an instance that three men interrogated her simultaneously. Threatening to harm her family. One of whom told her, “We’re not done with you yet. I will come back for you and will not let you sleep tonight.” Although she was not physically tortured, she was worried that the others were hurt because she heard screams of both men and women in pain.

Dr. Rivera saw Dr. Mia first before her husband. Dr. Rivera told the team that she found Dr. Mia in a fetal position. When she softly called her name, she raised her eyes but it took her a long time to recognize the very familiar face of her friend.

Recommended Action:

Send letters, emails or fax messages calling for:
1. The immediate release of the health workers who are tortured, illegally arrested and illegally detained at Camp Capinpin, Tanay, Rizal.
2. The government to ensure the safety of the victims and that they are not harmed; their belongings be returned immediately to them.
3. The immediate formation of an independent fact-finding and investigation team composed of representatives from human rights groups, the Church, local government, and the Commission on Human Rights that will look into raid and illegal arrest of the health workers conducting health skills training in Morong, Rizal.
4. 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.”
5. 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. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
President of the Republic
MalacañangPalace,
JP Laurel St., San
Miguel
Manila Philippines
Voice: (+632) 564 1451 to 80
Fax: (+632) 742-1641 / 929-3968
Cell#:
(+ 63) 919 898 4622 / (+63) 917 839 8462
E-mail: corres@op.gov.ph / opnet@ops.gov.ph

Sec. Annabelle T. Abaya
Presidential Adviser on the Peace
Process
Office of the Presidential
Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP)
7th Floor Agustin Building I
Emerald Avenue
PasigCity1605
Voice:+63 (2) 636 0701 to 066
Fax:+63 (2) 638 2216
osec@opapp.gov.ph



Norberto Gonzales
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. Agnes Devanadera
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

Atty. Leila De Lima
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: chr.delima@yahoo.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