US on Human Rights in Philippines: Unsolved Cases, Unpunished Perpetrators

Arbitrary and unlawful killings during the year included: the January 19 killing of university professor Jose Maria Cui in Catarman, Northern Samar, by two unidentified persons. Cui was a member of Bayan Muna, a leftist organization, and a former secretary-general of the human rights group KARAPATAN (Rights) in Eastern Samar.

The February 15 killing of Farly Alcantara, a student at the Camarines Norte State College and member of the militant League of Filipino Students, in Daet, Camarines Norte, by an unidentified assailant.

The March 10 killing of Siche Gandinao, a member of the Misamis Oriental Farmers Association, an affiliate of the left-leaning Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (Philippine Peasant Movement) in Salay, Misamis Oriental, by an unidentified assailant. Gandinao’s husband and daughter, who witnessed the shooting, alleged that the assailant ran away in the direction of a nearby army detachment. Siche Gandinao had testified before the UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions Philip Alston regarding the February 8 killing of her father-in-law, Dalmacio Gandinao.

All of these killings were under investigation at year’s end.

Investigations of cases from 2005 and 2006 were still ongoing.

On May 25, the police arrested and filed murder charges against two AFP officers and 10 other unidentified suspects for the August 2006 killing of United Methodist Church pastor Isaias Santa Rosa in Daraga, Albay. On June 8, however, the prosecutor dismissed the case for lack of evidence.

There were no reported developments in the May 2006 killing of Sotero Llamas and the July 2006 killing of Alice Claver. The alleged perpetrators in the killing of Llamas were at large, while the suspect police officer in the killing of Claver remained in police custody.

There were no developments in the cases of the 2005 killings of Bayan Muna leader Felidito Dacut and two pastors of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines. Two members of the army were charged with murder in a regional trial court for the 2005 killing of union leader Ricardo Ramos. At year’s end the suspects remained at large. The prosecutor’s office dismissed the cases of the 2005 killing of Bayan Muna councilor Abelardo Ladera and Aglipayan Church priest William Tadena for lack of probable cause.

On May 17, a Bureau of Immigration guard shot and killed a foreign detainee inside the immigration detention facility. The Immigration Commissioner ordered the guard’s dismissal, as well as that of three other guards on duty at the time of the incident. The guard remained in police custody at year’s end.

Although there were allegations that military hazing caused the May 8 death of a Philippine Military Academy cadet, medical records showed that the first year student died of severe complications from pneumonia.

Government forces killed a number of civilians during clashes with antigovernment forces and with the terrorist Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) and the NPA. Communist insurgents, mainly from the NPA, continued to kill political figures, military and police officers, and civilians, including suspected military and police informers. Extortion groups associated with the ASG killed persons in bombings.

The PNP recorded a total of 229 incidents of election-related violence during the official election period from January 14 to June 13, resulting in 121 deaths and 176 injuries. Most violent activity took place in connection with campaigns for local-level offices or stemmed from long-standing political or family rivalries. The PNP noted more incidents of violence in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and more killings in the Bicol Region than in other regions of the country.

Vigilante groups were suspected of conducting summary killings of criminals in two major cities, and local officials appeared to condone and even encourage them. At year’s end the TFDP recorded 58 apparent vigilante killings in Davao City, Mindanao. In Cebu City in the Central Visayan Region, the police recorded at least three killings during the year. The victims were suspected of involvement in criminal activities, and the killings appeared to have popular support. The authorities made no arrests in these cases.

b. Disappearance

According to local human rights NGOs, government forces were responsible for disappearances. At year’s end the domestic NGO Families of Victims of Involuntary Disappearances (FIND) documented 35 victims of involuntary disappearance: five were found alive, two were found dead, and 28 remained missing. FIND suspected government forces in the majority of these cases, while unidentified armed men were suspected in the remaining cases. Task Force Usig documented five cases of forced disappearance of activists; no case had been filed and no arrests had been made at year’s end.