Japan Group Releases Report on Killings in Philippines

Investigation and Prosecution

There has been no investigation conducted by police for Ronald. His mother told HRN, “At the time of abduction, his wife was pregnant. Now the baby is 7 months old. The father is still missing. We need justice for my son”.

Cases 18 : Axel Pinpin, Aristedes Sarmiento and others (Tagaytay 5)110

The HRN fact-finding mission interviewed five detainees, the so-called “TAGAYTAY 5” at a jail111. Throughout the interview, Sarmiento and Pinpin spoke on behalf of their fellow detainees.

Background Information:

【Victims】

Aristides Sarmiento

(49 years old, male) A peasant advocate and a resident of the City of Calamba, Province of Laguna; An organizer of Katipunan ng mga Magasasaka sa Kabite; (KAMAGSASAKA-KA, or Farmers’ Federation in Cavite)

Axel Pinpin (35 years old, male) A resident of the City of Calamba, Province of Laguna;

An organizer of Katipunan ng mga Magasasaka sa Kabite (KAMAGSASAKA-KA, or Farmers’ Federation in Cavite)

Riel Custodio (30 years old, male) and resident of Batangas City.

An organizer of Katipunan ng mga Magasasaka sa Kabite (KAMAGSASAKA-KA, or Farmers’ Federation in Cavite)

Enrico Ybanes (59 years old, male) A resident of Tagaytay City.

He worked as a seaman before making farming his livelihood.

Michael Masayes (28 years old, male) A farmer and resident of Tagaytay City.

【Incident】On April 28, 2006, the five men were abducted when they were driving in Tagaytay.

Prior to the Abduction

Aristides, Axel and Riel were the organizers of Katipunan ng mga Magasasaka sa Kabite (KAMAGSASAKA-KA, or Farmers’ Federation in Cavite). This organization undertakes livelihood activities including selling coffee and muscovado sugar to a trading company in Canada. As a peasant advocate, Aristides has also worked in several non-governmental organizations and institutions such as the Center for Ecumenical Development and Action Research, the Solidarity for People’s Power. Axel was working for Kamagsasaka-Ka as a researcher and public information officer. He has also joined various political demonstrations including one that was shown on television. Prior to his abduction, he said that because of his political activities, he received warnings (including a warning from a relative who is a policeman) that the police suspect that he is supporting the NPA.

Circumstances of Abduction

On April 28, 2006 the men were on their way to Manila after they left Barangay Tolentino in Tagaytay City around 6:25 p.m. At the time, the men had about PhP 80,000 in cash to make the purchase. As they were traveling, they were stopped by armed men in plain clothes and surrounded by several vehicles. The victims were handcuffed and thrown into a van where they were blindfolded and made to lie down on the floor of the van while their abductors poked guns at them. Axel stated that he developed burn wounds from being made to lie on the floor of the van and he did not receive treatment for them until the wounds were swollen.

They were taken to various places in Manila where they were interrogated by the army and PNP while they were handcuffed and blindfolded.112 They were alleged to be members of the (NPA and were tortured physically and mentally to obtain information on their alleged NPA activities.

The men were brought to an undisclosed location where they were placed in the basement of a building, which they later identified as being located on the same military camp that they are now being held. They stayed in this location for four days and four nights. During this time, they were subjected to interrogation about their alleged involvement with the NPA and a supposed plot to bomb the Labor Day rally in Manila as part of a conspiracy with military rebels of the Magdalo113 group. Thereafter, they were taken to another place, which they assumed to be in or around a military camp (Villamor Airbase or Fort Bonifacio) in Manila near the airport because they could hear airplanes coming and going all the time. The men stayed at this location three days and two nights and were then taken to the Regional Trail Court of Tagaytay on May 5, 2006. It was at this time that the group first learned they were charged with rebellion against the government.