Victim/s: Atty. Felidito Cabritas Dacut

*Katungod is Visayan for ?Rights? and Katungod-EV is a member organization of KARAPATAN, Alliance for the Advancement of People?s Rights

1. Place of Incident: At the corner of Real and Arellano Streets, Tacloban City (fronting Casa Real Inn and the People?s Center) while the victim was aboard a Filcab-type/multi-cab vehicle bound for downtown Tacloban.
2. Date of Incident: March 14, 2005 at about 6:45-6:50 PM
3. Alleged Perpetrators: Two (2) still unidentified perpetrators aboard a single motorcycle (TMX); the gunman and his driver were both wearing white round-neck T-shirts and maong (denims) pants.
4. Account of Incident:

At around 6:40pm, Atty. Felidito C. Dacut just came from a consultation/meeting held at the Bayan Muna regional headquarters at Door C, Yao-Ka-Sin Compound, Old Road, Sagkahan District, Tacloban City. He was with a colleague from Bayan Muna whom he requested to accompany him saying, ?Updi ak kay waray ak upod. Mapalit ak gatas para hit ak anak (Please accompany me as I don?t have a companion. I?m going to buy milk for my child)?.

They boarded a pedicab from the BM office (via Pericohon Street) to the jeepney stop where they would take another ride via a Filcab/jeepney for downtown Tacloban.

They got into a Filcab plying the Tacloban-Marasbaras Villadolina route. They positioned themselves at the right side of the cab. The two (2) were engaged in a conversation while inside the vehicle.

When Atty. Dacut was about to give their fare to the driver, his companion heard a snapping (?plok?) sound and he noticed t he consequent ?Aguy!? (Interjection connoting pain) from Atty. Dacut. He also noticed blood at the back of Atty. Dacut and observed that he was clinging to his chest with both hands. Then, he saw a face of a man and that of the barrel of a gun.

Aboard a TMX motorbike, the perpetrators overtook the Filcab at the wrong side of the lane (they positioned their bike parallel to the Filcab at the right shoulder of the road/from the gutter). The witness estimated that the barrel of the gun was just a foot (12?) away from Atty. Dacut?s body and about a meter from the single motorcycle the perpetrators were riding.

Immediately, Atty Dacut?s companion began shouting repeatedly, ?Ginpusil kami (We were shot)!? The commotion caught attention of people along Real Street fronting Casa Real Inn and the People?s Center (near the corner to Arellano Street). Real Street is a busy road.

Based on the account of the witness the incident was estimated to have happened from 6:45-6:50pm.

There were five (5) other witnesses who saw the incident.

When the Filcab driver recovered from his shock, he made an immediate ?U-turn? to the direction of the nearby UCCP Bethany Hospital, just few meters from the site of the incident. Atty Dacut was immediately administered emergency medical attention by the attending physicians. But he expired shortly thereafter.

The victim sustained a single fatal wound on his upper body.

Members of the Tacloban Philippine National Police arrived at the Bethany Hospital.

The case is still open as investigation is underway to gather relevant data on this incident.

At the time of his death, Atty. Dacut was a ?pro-bono/pro-people? human rights lawyer handling various human rights, agrarian and labor cases. He was regional coordinator for the Partylist Group Bayan Muna and a member of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines.

Human righ ts advocates and his colleagues attribute his death to be related to the recent declaration (on March 5, 2005) of Maj. Gen. Jovito S. Palparan Jr., Commanding General of the 8ID and so-called ?Butcher of Mindoro? to ?clear out Eastern Visayas of anti-government rallies within six (6) months? as the principal anti-insurgency campaign plan of the Arroyo government.

Atty. Dacut was among those who initiated a ?solidarity mission? to Catarman, Northern Samar to investigate similar pronouncements by Col. Manuelito Usi and the consequent deployment of troops and armored personnel carrier (APC) to Bayan Muna Headquarters on March 6, 2005

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 summary execution of Atty. Felidito Dacut;
2. The arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators of the crime of summary execution committed.
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 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 its provisions

President of the Republic

Malacanang Palace,

JP Laurel St., San Miguel

Manila Philippines

Voice: (+632) 564 1451 to 80