Dear Friends,

    We are forwarding to you this urgent action on the massacre of BAYAN MUNA members from Laac, Compostela Valley, as well as other human rights violations against other members of that community by the 60th Infantry Battalion.

We are urging for your immediate action.

In Solidarity,
KARAPATAN-National Office
Alliance for the Advancement of People's Rights

UA Date: 01 May 2004

UA Title: Laac Massacre

UA Case: Murder, indiscriminate firing, physical assault, looting and
illegal
arrest and detention, harassment

I. Victim/s:    

• Charlie Davao (killed)
•  28 years old, male
• Son of a Tribal Chieftain
• BAYAN MUNA* member
• a resident of Barangay Datu Davao, Laac, Compostela Valley, Philippines
  

• Ganadi Pinamalayan (killed)
• 40 years old, male
• BAYAN MUNA* member
• Barangay Councilor
• a resident of Barangay Barangay Datu Davao, Laac, Compostela Valley, Philippines
  

• Charlie Davao (killed)
• 24 years old, male
• Son of a Barangay Councilor
• BAYAN MUNA* member
• a resident of Barangay Datu Davao, Laac, Compostela Valley, Philippines
  

• Alex Aydao (wounded, mauled, looted, illegally arrested and detained)
• male
• Barangay Captain
• a resident of Barangay Datu Davao, Laac, Compostela Valley, Philippines
  

• Jimboy Batao (wounded, mauled and looted)
• male
• a resident of Barangay Datu Davao, Laac, Compostela Valley, Philippines
  

• Rose Batao (wounded, mauled and looted)
• female
• a resident of Barangay Datu Davao, Laac, Compostela Valley, Philippines
  

• Ruel Tampayugan (wounded, mauled and looted)
• male
• a resident of Barangay Datu Davao, Laac, Compostela Valley, Philippines
  

• Rosevick Batao
• 10 months old
• a resident of Barangay Datu Davao, Laac, Compostela Valley, Philippines
  

• Awin Basid
• 12 years old
• a resident of Barangay Datu, Davao, Laac, Compostela Valley, Philippines
  

• Entol Tawedi (mauled and illegally arrested)
• male
• a resident of Barangay Datu Davao, Laac, Compostela Valley, Philippines
  

• Ruben Tawedi (mauled and illegally arrested)
• male
• a resident of Barangay Datu Davao, Laac, Compostela Valley, Philippines
  

• Bangas Sagiwan (mauled and illegally arrested)
• male
• Tribal Chieftain
• a resident of Barangay Datu Davao, Laac, Compostela Valley, Philippines
  

• Earning Sagiwan (mauled, illegally arrested and detained)
• male
• Barangay Councilor
• a resident of Barangay Datu Davao, Laac, Compostela Valley, Philippines
  

and 30 other members of the Ata Manobo Tribe who are residents of Barangay Datu Davao, Laac, Compostela Valley, Philippines.

(*BAYAN MUNA - People First)
II. Date of Incident: 24 April 2004 at around after lunch

III. Place of Incident: Barangay Datu Davao, Laac, Compostela Valley, Philippines

IV. Perpetrators: Elements of the 60th Infantry Battalion led by a certain 2nd Lt., Salcedo

V. Summary of Incident:

Some 50 residents of Barangay Datu Davao, Laac, Compostela Valley went to the Poblacion (town center) early that Saturday morning, April 24 to
claim their pay from Antonio Libuangan, a known logger in the area.

Witnesses recalled that they were just finished eating their lunch and preparing to go back to their area when three (3) armed plainclothes
men entered the carinderia (a small restaurant). One of them suddenly shouted at Charlie Davao, Ganadi Pinamalayan and Charlie Utag "Mga NPA
mo!" ( "You are all NPA rebels!")

While the rest of civilians in the place scampered for safety, other elements of the 60th Infantry Battalion came and open fired at them.

Later witnesses stated that they saw the military planting firearms beside the victim's' bodies as evidence that they engaged them in a
firefight. Lt. Col. Edgardo Gonzales Commanding Officer of the 60th IBPA would later on claim that an encounter happened in Laac, that day.

Several other residents were harassed, mauled, their homes looted, illegally arrested and detained by the said soldiers.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Send letters, email 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 massacre of Charlie Davao, Ganadi Pinamalayan, and Charlie Utag; the indiscriminate firing, physical assault, looting, wounding, illegal arrest and detention and harassment of members of the Ata Manobo
tribe who are residents of Barangay Datu Davao, Laac, Compostela Valley, Philppines..

2. The prosecution of the perpetrators of the crime of murder, indiscriminate firing, looting, physical assault, illegal arrest and detention,
harassment well as other atrocities committed not just by the 60th Infantry Battalion but by other units of the Armed Forces of the
Philippines and/or Philippine National Police as well.

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 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. Eduardo R. Ermita
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]

Please send us a copy of your email/mail/fax to the said government
official at our address below:

URGENT ACTION Prepared by:

KARAPATAN (Alliance for the Advancement of People's Rights)-National
Office
43 Masikap St., Barangay Pinyahan, Quezon City, 1100 PHILIPPINES
Voice: (+632) 435 4146 / Fax: (+632) 928 6078
Emails: [email protected] / [email protected]
Website: www. karapatan.org