Dear friends,
Further to our earlier appeal, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed that two of the co-accused in a fabricated charge of robbery which included 31 human rights and political activists will be arraigned tomorrow, May 28, 2013.
UPDATED INFORMATION:
In our previous appeal (AHRC-UAC-152-2012), we mentioned that 31 human rights and political activists have been charged with “Robbery in Band” at the Office of the City Prosecutor in Sagay City, Negros. One of whom is Ronald Ian Evidente, a trade union organizer and spokesperson of Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU). On August 23, 2012, Evidente was arraigned and entered a plea of ‘not guilty’.
Apart from Evidente, his co-accused Zara Alvarez, a licensed school teacher and staff member of the Northern Negros Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (NNAHRA), and Anecita Rojo, a church worker, will be arraigned for the charge of robbery in band. NNAHRA is a local group advocating protection of human rights.
Alvarez and Rojo will be arraigned tomorrow, May 28, 2013 at 2pm at the Regional Trial Court (RTC), in Sagay City.
In our earlier appeal, we already questioned the heavy reliance by the prosecution on the testimony of Freddie Sanchez, a rebel returnee and witness for the military, in the identification of the 31 accused. His testimony in no way would have passed the test of “positive identification”, which could justify the inclusion of the names of the accused because he himself was not present at the crime scene.
Alvarez was arrested by the military without a warrant on October 30, 2012 at 6:15pm in front of Cadiz City Public Market. When she was arrested, a man wearing plainclothes get hold of her and about 30 others in military uniform surrounded her. When Alvarez asked for help, the military warned the onlookers not to interfere. She kept on asking why they were arresting her, the reason for her arrest and demanded that they show a warrant of arrest, but the military ignored her inquiries and handcuff her.
Apart from the case of robbery in band, Alvarez is also charged for murder. She was accused of being a member of the New People’s Army (NPA) who killed 1LT Archie Polenzo of the Philippine Army during an armed encounter in March 7, 2010 at Sitio Aluyan, Barangay Caduhaan, Cadiz City, Negros Occidental.
While in the military’s custody she demanded that she be taken to the police. Later, the police arrived and it was only this time that she was taken to the Cadiz City Police Station. At the police station, the military forcibly took her cell phone and other personal belonging. Some of the soldiers also attempted to take her to a private room where they could question her but she refused. She remained overnight at the police station.
Alvarez is presently detained at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology in Cadiz City.
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Desk
Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) (ua@ahrc.asia)
