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UA Date :
22 March 2003
UA Title: Summary Execution
in Bulacan, Philippines
I. Case: Summary
Execution
II. Victim/s: MICHAEL SANTIAGO
·
Male,
28 years old
·
Married
and a resident of Brgy. San Roque, San Rafael, Bulacan
III. Place
of Incident: Brgy. Pasong Intsik, San
Rafael, Bulacan
IV. Date
of Incident: 12 March 2003
V.
Perpetrator/s: Five unidentified men
in civilian clothes believed to be elements of the
Philippine National Police in Bulacan, headed by Provincial
Director P/Senior Supt. Felizardo M. Serapio, Jr., 56th Infantry
Battalion
VI.
Account of Incident/s:
According to Regina, Michael Santiago’s wife, a group of five men, all of them in civilian clothes and some wearing bonnets came to their house on March 12, 2003 between 8:00 – 9:00 PM. They told them that they wanted to talk with Michael. The latter even insisted that they come in so that they can talk inside his house but the men declined and instead dragged him out of his house half naked. While all this was happening, Regina stood helpless as one of the men kept her at gunpoint.
When the suspects left with Michael, his mother, Anita immediately went to Brgy. Captain Ricardo Bernabe of Pulong Bayabas. At 11:00 that same night, the barangay captain went to the police station in San Rafael to blotter the incident. He also went to the 175th Infantry Battalion in Sampaloc, San Rafael to inform the soldiers what happened. The soldiers who were on duty that time only promised to help look for Michael.
It was only on the following day that one of the victim’s siblings was informed that an encounter happened in Pasong Intsik. Michael’s family was supposed to go to the said place but was told that the dead was already brought to Funeraria Mendoza in Bustos, Bulacan. They hurriedly proceeded to the funeral parlor. They were surprised to find out that the Michael’s clothes were already burned and that the military were alleging that he was wearing an NPA’s uniform. News gathered from the television reports showed that Michael was wearing a t-shirt with a “Bagong Hukbong Bayan” print on it and that soldiers allegedly found a gun and some subversive documents on him.
In connection with this, Provincial Director P/Senior Supt. Felizardo M. Serapio, Jr. admitted that the military was responsible in the killing of Michael Santiago, saying that the victim was an NPA and that he died in an encounter.
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 summary execution of Michael
Santiago.
2. The
prosecution of the perpetrators of the crime of summary execution as well as
investigations of other atrocities committed by elements of the Philippine
National Police in Bulacan and the 56th Infantry Battalion.
3. The immediate
and proper indemnification of the family/relatives of the victims; and
4. That the
Philippine Government 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] / [email protected]
Hon. Eduardo R. Ermita
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. Angelo T. Reyes
Secretary, Department of National
Defense
Camp Emilio Aguinaldo
E. de los Santos Avenue,
Quezon City, Philippines
Voice: (+632) 912-9281
Fax: (+632) 911 6213
Email: [email protected]
Hon. Purificacion Valera Quisumbing
Chairperson, Commission on Human
Rights
SAAC Bldg., UP Complex
Commonwealth Avenue
Diliman, Quezon City
Philippines
Fax: (+632) 926 6188
Email: [email protected]
Please send a copy of your
email/mail/fax to the said government official to our address below.
URGENT ACTION Prepared by:
KARAPATAN (Alliance for the
Advancement of People's Rights)-National Office
9B K-9 St., West Kamias Quezon City,
Philippines
TeleFax: (+632) 926 7877
Emails: <[email protected]> / <[email protected]>
Website: www.karapatan.org