Japan Group Releases Report on Killings in Philippines

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Overview of the Findings

The fact-finding team of HRN conducted interviews concerning 15 cases of extrajudicial killings (involving 33 victims) and 3 cases of forced disappearances (involving 9 victims).

Table 2
Case No Name Character of the victims Killed/ Abducted
Case 1: Eden Marcellana and Eddie Gumanoy Human Rights Defender Killed
Case 2: Benjaline Hernandez and other 3 people Human Rights Defender Killed
Case 3: Juvy Magsino and Leima Fortu Human Rights Defender Killed
Case 4 Jesus Lasa and other 12 people Worker Killed
Case 5: Juancho Sanchez Supporter of a strike Killed
Case 6: Richardo Ramos Village Leader Killed
Case 7: Abelardo Ladera City Council Killed
Case 8: Isaias Sta Rosa Religious leader Killed
Case 9: Alberto Ramento Religious leader Killed
Case 10: Felipe Lapa Left Activist Killed
Case 11: Expedito Albarillo and Manuela Albarillo Village Leader Killed
Case 12: Romeo Malabanan Civil Servant Killed
Case 13: Jesus “Butch” Servida Worker’s leader Killed
Case 14: Diosdado Fortuna President of a Labor Union Killed
Case 15: Grecil Buya 9 years old girl Killed
Case 16: Sherlyn Cadapan, Karen Empeño and other 1 person Students Abducted
Cases17: Ronald Intal Worker Abducted
Case 18 : Axel Pinpin, Aristedes Sarmiento, Enrico Ybanez, Michael Masayez and Riel Custodio( so called Tagaytay 5) Farmer andFarmer activists Abducted

1. The Evidence and Systematic Pattern Suggest the Involvement of Government Agencies

In most of the cases investigated, the HRN fact-finding team found that the killings, disappearances, and tortures could be attributed to or could most likely be attributed to the military or police forces of the Philippines. Details of each case will be provided later. Here, we will point out notable characteristics of our findings.

1. The Identity of perpetrators

Eyewitness Accounts:

In the majority of cases, witnesses comprising family members and/or neighbors were present during the victim’s Killing or abduction and identify perpetrators as belonging to the military.

Among the cases the fact-finding team investigated, in 8 out of 15 cases of extrajudicial killings, the witnesses identified the perpetrators as elements of the AFP or belonging to the CAFGU, the army or paramilitary organization under the control of the army.

The witnesses and relatives told the fact-finding mission the following:

* Case 1 – Eden Marcellana
o The perpetrator of her Killing was identified as Master Sergeant Donald Caigas of the 204th Infantry Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division in Mindoro.
* Case 2 – Benjaline Hernandez
o The sole survivor of the killing saw the perpetrators wearing military fatigues and bonnets.
o The perpetrators were identified as Sergeant Antonio Torella of the 7th Battalion (Airborne), the AFP and CAFGU members. Sergeant Torrela and two CAFGU members were indicted and the trial is currently ongoing.
* Cases 4 and 5 – Jesus Lasa and Juancho Sanchez
o They were killed in the course of the Hacienda Luisita Massacre.
o On the day of massacre, the PNP and AFP troops were deployed by the order of the Labour Secretary in front of the picket line and tried to disperse the picket line.
o Thousands of striking workers in Hacienda Luisita witnessed that the PNP and AFP troops who were surrounding the strikers and using tear gas to disperse the strikers. They then, started firing, killing seven strikers, and injuring many other strikers.
* Case 6 – Ricardo Ramos
o Two eye-witnesses identified Sergeant Joshua Dela Cruz and Romeo Castillo of the 48th Infantry Battalion, the7th Infantry Division as the perpetrator.
* Case 8 – Isaias Sta Rosa
o The victim’s family (wife, children and siblings) were present when armed men dressed in military fatigue uniforms forcibly took the victim away.
o Right after the abduction, the family heard a gunshot. When the family found the victim’s dead body, one of the abductors －Lordger Pastrana of the Military Intelligence Battalion of the 9th Infantry Division was found dead besides the victim’s body. The family found military identification and a military mission order on the body.
* Case 10 – Felipe Lapa
o Lapa’s son and wife identified two CAFGU members led by the 204th Infantry Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division as the perpetrators.
* Case 11– Expedito/ Manuela Albarillo
o The Abarillos’ nine year old daughter witnessed men in military uniforms take her parents from their home just prior to their fatal shooting.
o Neighbors and other family members witnessed the crime.
o Lieutenant. Dimapinto and another soldier of 16th Infantry Battalion, in Mindoro were identified as the perpetrators by a nephew of the victims.