UA Date: 23 August 2004

UA Title: Arbitrary Arrest and Enforced
Disapppearance of three Bayan Muna organizers in Sampaloc, Manila, Philippines

UA Case: Arbitrary Arrest and Enforced Disappearance

I. Victim/s: Joseph Gonzales
· 23 years old
· a resident of Sampaloc, Manila, Philippines
· Bayan Muna organizer

Mario Detroz
· 41 years old
· a resident of Sampaloc, Manila, Philippines
· Bayan Muna organizer

Ronaldo Comiso
· a resident of Sampaloc, Manila, Philippines
· Bayan Muna organizer

II. Date of Incident: 18 August 2004 between 4:30 - 5:00 PM

III. Place of Incident: Earnshaw St., Bustillos, Sampaloc, Manila,
Pilippines

IV. Perpetrators: 10 - 15 military intelligence operatives from the
Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the
Philippines led by Staff Sgt. Batac

V. Summary of Incident:

According to reports and information gathered from vendors along the vicinity of Bustillos in Sampaloc two days prior to the incident, state security agents in civilian clothing were already all over the place.

On 18 August 2004 Wednesday between 4:30 - 5:00 PM a red Toyota Corolla carrying Joseph Gonzales, Mario Detroz and Ronaldo Comiso, was on its way out of Manrique St. towards Earnshaw St. in Bustillos when they were blocked by a green Isuzu High Lander parked in front of the St. Anthony and Our Lady of Loreto Churches. At least 10 people immediately surrounded the vehicle.

An operative quickly took hold of the car's driver, Joseph Gonzales and transferred him to the blocking vehicle after firing a warning shot. That same operative plus another one rode on the red car and commandeered it towards España St. followed by the High Lander and a convoy of two other vehicles.

A Barangay Tanod was able to take note of the color of the vehicles plus the plate number of the green Highlander - WAF 195.

Witnesses were made to believe that the operatives took alleged drug dealers or bank robbers who were planning to hit on the bank in front of the church.

Barangay Tanods or local security officials from Barangay 405 were able to blotter the incident, but a visit to the University Belt Area (UBA) station 4 revealed that there was no record of the incident on August 18. When asked by the KARAPATAN Para-legal team and Bayan Muna members, POI Nonong Alviar admitted that he knew of the presence of military operatives from the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines because these men coordinated with them and told them that they were conducting an operation in the area. When pressed to give a contact person from the ISAFP he gave out the name of a certain Staff Sgt. Batac. The same police officer however denied that he knew the "abduction" of three individuals from the place.

The three have been missing since then and have asked the help of KARAPATAN as well as other people's organizations in searching for them.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Send letters, email or fax messages calling for:

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 arbitrary arrest and enforced disappearance of Joseph Gonzales, Mario Detroz, Ronaldo Comiso.
The prosecution of the perpetrators of the crime of arbitrary arrest and enforced disappearance as well as other atrocities committed by those found to be guilty of the crime.
The immediate and proper indemnification of the family/relatives of the victims; and
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 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 of the Philippines
Malacañang Palace,
J.P. 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
Email: [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. Avelino Cruz, Jr.
Secretary , Department of National Defense
Camp Emilio Aguinaldo
E. delos 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]