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dear friends, we are requesting for
your urgent action on the massacre of youth organizers in mindanao. we
likewise request you to distribute the attached document to your widest
network. in solidarity, KARAPATAN-National Office Alliance for the
Advancement of People's Rights
UA Date: 23 September 2003 UA TITLE: MASSACRE
OF YOUTH ORGANIZERS IN MINDANAO, PHILIPPINES UA Case: Abduction and
Massacre I.
Victim: Lito Doydoy · Male · 24 years old · Community Organizer, Anakbayan Marjorie
Reynoso · Female ·
18 years old ·
Sanggunian
Kabataan*, Brgy. Anislagan, Maco ·
Anak ng Bayan Municipal Coordinator Jonathan Benaro
· Male · 16 years old · Sanggunian Kagawad *, Brgy. Mapaang, Maco,
Compostela Valley · Anak ng Bayan Member Ramong
“Jong-jong” Regase, Jr. · Male · 17 years old · skylab** driver II.
Place of
Incident: Somewhere in the Municipality of
Maco, Compostella Valley Province III.
Date of
Incident: 19
September 2003, 03:30 PM IV.
Perpetrators: Willy Javier and other Agents of the
Military Intelligence Group (MIG) V.
Account of
Incident: On September 19, 2003 at around 03:30 PM,
a certain Willy Javier with and his companions, believed to be members of the
Military Intelligence Group (MIG) adbucted Lito Doydoy, 27 years old,
Marjorie Reynoso, 18 years old, Jonathan Benaro, 16 years old and Ramon
“Jong-Jong” Regase, Jr., 17 years old. All four were residents of Maco,
Compostela Valley. Marjorie and Jonathan were both Sanggunian
Kabataan* officers of their respective barangays in Maco and were active
members of the Anak ng Bayan Partylist. While Lito was a member of Anakbayan,
a progressive youth organization and Jong-jong worked as a skylab**
driver. The victims’ just came from a birthday
party in Davao City and were heading home to Maco, on board a motorcycle or skylab**
when two vehicles, which witnesses say was a red and white Tamarraw FX,
blocked them somewhere in Maco a few kilometers away from 1101st
military outpost. Witnesses also testified that two of the male victims tried
to get away but were shot on their legs by the perpetrators before being
hauled to the vehicle along with their companions. Prior to the incident a certain “Badoy”, a
skylab** driver saw Willy Javier disembark from his vehicle at the
Maco crossing terminal and ask for the whereabouts of a certain Toto Rama,
believed to be a rebel returnee. An hour after the abduction of Lito,
Marjorie, Jonathan and Jong-Jong, Gloria Reynoso, mother of Marjorie tried to
contact her daughter through her mobile phone. But a recording only
responded, saying that the phone was either unattended or out of coverage
area. It was late in the evening when Gloria began to feel worried about her
daughter’s whereabouts and again attempted to call her mobile phone. She was
surprised to hear a man answer with a loud laugh before immediately hanging
up on her. A few minutes later, Gloria’s phone rang. She answered the call.
The same person laughing loudly was still at the other end of the line and
Gloria responded with “Alam ko ISU kayo, MIG kayo wag niyo gagalawin ang
anak ko! Ibalik niyo siya buhay man o patay!” (“I know you are members of
the ISU and MIG, but don’t you dare touch my daughter! Bring her back to me
dead or alive!”) Then the other line went dead. Gloria vainly tried calling
back, but the mobile phone had already been turned off. The four remained missing until the
morning of September 23, 2003 when a certain “Tata” who was a banana
plantation worker, Ernesto Aralan and security guard Juanilo Labaco smelled a
foul odor somewhere at the Selecta Farms, Area 307, Purok 1, Crossing Blanco,
Brgy. Osmeña, Compostella, Compostella Valley Province. At 7:58 AM they found a mound of soil
where the foul smell was coming from, covered with banana leaves and some
bamboo, which turned out to be a shallow grave where Lito, Marjorie, Jonathan
and Jong-Jong were buried. They were on top of each other, with Marjorie on
the topmost of the pile. Marjorie’s mouth was covered with masking
tape with her tongue was sticking out, signifying that she may have been
strangled because there were also marks around her neck. Her eyes were wide
open and she sustained two gunshot wounds on the left side of her head. Marjorie’s
chest and lower armpit also revealed several bruises. The three male victims were naked except
from their underwear, had bruises in different parts of their bodies and
quite a number of what witnesses believed to be stab wounds. Their bodies will be transported to Tagum,
where an autopsy will be conducted. * the Sanggunian Kabataan
or SK is the youth arm of the local government unit or the barangay. ** the skylab is a motorcycle used as
a local transport which can accommodate upto eight (8) people and load sacks
of rice, woodplanks or other farm goods. 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
massacre of Lito Doydoy, Marjorie Reynoso, Jonathan Benaro and Jong-Jong
Regase; 2. The
prosecution of the perpetrators of the crime of abduction and massacre as
well as investigations of other atrocities committed not only by the Military
intelligence Group of the Armed Forces of the Philippines but by its other
units as well; 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. 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 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] |
