Dear Friends,

The campaign for the next electoral posts for 2004 has started and we anticipate more human rights abuses from the GMA administration, as we post here our urgent action on the 40th Bayan Muna murder victim.

We would appreciate your immediate action.

Please circulate to your network. Thank you.

In solidarity,
KARAPATAN National Office
Alliance for the Advancement of Peoples Rights
--------------------------------

UA Date: 14 January 2004

UA Title: 40TH BAYAN MUNA MURDER VICTIM

UA Case: Murder

I. Victim/s:

Felix Rosquites
49 years old
Male
Married and has nine (9) children
Peasant
A resident of Purok 9B, Igangon, Asuncion, Davao del Norte,
Philippines
A member of BAYAN MUNA as well as the PAOCTF, BPLK and Dayong

II. Place of Incident: Inside a cockpit in Igangon, Asuncion, Davao del Norte, Philippines

III. Date of Incident: 08 January 2004 at around 2:30 PM

IV. Perpetrators:

Two (2) unidentified men wearing bonnets, on board a black motorcycle (B) and carrying a .45 armed pistol, believed to be military assets.

V. Account of Incident:

On January 08, 2004 at around 2:30 PM Felix Rosquites was talking to his friend, Alfredo Barnayja inside the cockpit in Igangon when suddenly a blast of gunfire was heard. Felix instantly fell in front of Alfredo, who, due to the impact of the shot also tumbled over. Felix was hit at the back of his head. According to witnesses, the suspect finished Felix off by shooting him on his chest and stomach.

After the incident, one of the suspects took off his bonnet and shouted, " Whoever has a gun should not fire!" Then they fled aboard a black TS motorcycle heading towards Sawata.

No investigation on the incident has taken place since the time of the incident. The Asuncion Police Station apparently chose to ignore the incident and have not initiated any investigation on the case.

His colleagues, shared that almost a year before, March 6, 2003 the
72nd Infantry Battalion (IB) called for an immediate meeting with the residents of Igangon. Captain Audencia of the 72nd IB was the one who facilitated the meeting. In the meeting, the military disclosed that Felix was number one in the military's OB (Order of Battle) list. They accused him of being an organizer of the NPA, who allegedly worked as semi-legal. Three other residents of Purok 9A, Igangon, were also included in the OB list - Reynaldo Ansero, Arnel Padilla and Nicolas Padilla. Captain Audencia further declared that they are going make an example of one of those listed in the OB so that the people will learn their lesson. The military also commanded that the mentioned individuals found in their OB must report to the military at once, which the accused never did because doing so would only further implicate them to the charges being charged against them.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Send letters, emails or fax messages calling for:

1. 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 the murder of Felix Rosquites;
2. The prosecution of the perpetrators of the crime of forcible abduction as well as investigations of other atrocities committed not only by soldiers from the Armed Forces of Philippines (AFP) in Davao del Norte but by others as well being employed by the AFP and Philippine National Police (PNP) to commit atrocities against civilians and organized individuals and groups;
3. The immediate and proper indemnification of the family/relatives of the victims; and
4. The Philippine Government to be reminded that it is a signatory of 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 its provisions.

You may send your communications to:

H.E. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
President of the Republic
Malacanang Palace,
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: [email protected] / [email protected]

Hon. Teresita Deles
Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process
7F Agustin Building I
Emerald Avenue
Pasig City, Philippines
Voice: (+632) 636 0701 to 0766
Fax: (+632) 638 2216
Email: [email protected]

Hon. Eduardo R. Ermita
Secretary, Department of National Defense
Camp Emilio Aguinaldo
E. de los Santos Avenue,
Quezon City, Philippines
Voice: (+632) 912-9281
Fax: (+632) 911 6213

Hon. Purificacion Valera Quisumbing
Chairperson, Commission on Human Rights
SAAC Bldg., UP Complex
Commonwealth Avenue
Diliman, Quezon City
Philippines
Fax: (+632) 929 0102
Email: [email protected]