Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from KARAPATAN (Alliance for the Advancement of Peoples Rights), a human rights organisation based in Manila, regarding the arrest and subsequent forcible disappearance of Reynaldo Manalo and his brother Raymond on 14 February 2006. Reynaldo and Raymond were separately arrested by five men believed to be military agents at their residence in Barangay Bohol na Mangga, San Ildefonso, Bulacan.
The incident took place reportedly after the two victims alleged refusal to cooperate with the alleged perpetrators to locate a neighbour named Bestre. Between 2 to 3pm the alleged perpetrators armed with rifles and wearing civilian clothes forcibly broke into the house of the victims parents, Jesus and Ester Manalo. Jesus was talking to another person near their front door at the time while Ester was at the kitchen when she heard the men enter their house.
One of the perpetrators went to the couples room and stole items placed in the drawers. Raymond, who was sleeping inside the room, was awakened by the noise. He was asked if he was Bestre. When the perpetrators were not satisfied by his answer, he was slapped and hit with a rifle butt to his abdomen. They then ordered Raymond to lie down with his hands tied behind his back. He was dragged and repeatedly kicked on his way out of their house.
Raymond was taken by the perpetrators to the house of his elder brother, Reynaldo. Reynaldos wife Maria Leonora had just arrived from gathering charcoal at the time. Reynaldo was ordered to kneel down. When he refused, the alleged perpetrators poked their guns at him and started kicking him. One of the perpetrators entered Reynaldo’s house and illegally conducted searches allegedly for hidden firearms. When they failed to find any, they left taking Reynaldo and Raymond with them. They later went to Bestre’s house, which is not far from that of the victims. They forcibly opened the door and ransacked items inside.
The victims cousin, Celeste, had just finished cleaning her parent’s house and went to the house of Jesus and Ester passing through Bestres house. She was taking the grandchildren of Jesus and Ester with her. While passing through Bestres place, she noticed that the door had been broken. There she saw the perpetrators conducting searches inside. When she was seen, the perpetrators asked her of her name. She was hesitant to answer them but her cousin, Raymond, told her to cooperate with them to avoid getting into trouble. She and the children were poked with guns as they were speaking to the perpetrators.
Celeste saw Raymond and Reynaldo being taken away by the alleged perpetrators in a white van with their hands tied behind their back. On February 15, Reynaldos wife Maria Leonora together with other family members of the Manalos abandoned their homes for fear that the men would return and harm them. They reported the incident to the Municipal Hall of Ildefonso. Likewise, they went to the headquarters of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in San Ildefonso and reported the incident to San Ildefonso police station Chief Emma Libunao.
Libunao later took them to the detachment of the 24th Infantry Battalion, Philippine Army and met their head Master Sergeant Rollie Castillo. Castillo told them not to worry and that they would coordinate with those who took custody of the Manalo brothers. The Manalo family, however, has refused to return home for fear of their lives, and they currently remain in hiding.
It is reported that prior to the incident, on February 5, Castillos colleague called for a meeting with residents of Bohol na Mangga. Members of the Manalo family reportedly failed to participate as they had not received any notice for such a meeting. It is believed that their failure to attend the meeting could have prompted the alleged perpetrators to illegally arrest and harass members of the family. Ester’s uncle, Primitivo Principe, recalled that the face of some of the alleged perpetrators had similarities to those who called for the February 5 meeting.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please send letters to the concerned government agencies below requesting them to immediately commence an impartial and independent investigation into the incident. The victims whereabouts must be located in close coordination with their respective family members. The disappeared victims family must also be afforded with appropriate protection and security to ensure their safety. They must be assured of a safe return in order to live a normal life. The military unit concerned must be investigated so as to answer to the allegations made against them.
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SAMPLE LETTER
Dear _________,
PHILIPPINES: Illegal arrest and forcible disappearance of two men in Bulacan, Luzon
Name of disappeared victims: Reynaldo Manalo (32), and Raymond Manalo (22), both are residents of Barangay Bohol na Mangga, San Ildefonso, Bulacan
Name of victims of harassment: Jesus Manalo (67) and his wife Ester (54), Reynaldos wife Maria Leonora, the victims cousin Celeste (22) and children Jimuel (8), Cherelen (5), Che-Che (3), Leo (6), Rowena (3), Chester (5), Alea (1). All the victims are residents of the same place.
Alleged perpetrators: Elements of the 24th Infantry Battalion (IB) Philippine Army headed by Master Sergeant Rollie Castillo under the 7th Infantry Division.
Place of incident: Bohol na Mangga, San Ildefonso, Bulacan
Date of incident: 14 February 2006 between 2 to 3pm
I am writing to draw your attention to the case of Reynaldo Manalo and his younger brother Raymond who were reported to have been illegally arrested and subsequently disappeared on 14 February 2006 in San Ildefonso, Bulacan. I am deeply concerned that the victims whereabouts remain unknown despite there being information that could be helpful to resolve the case.
It has come to my attention that the elements of the 24th Infantry Battalion, Philippine Army, headed by Master Sergeant Rollie Castillo may have been responsible in the victims disappearance. I have learned that Primitivo Principe, uncle of the victims mother Ester, recognised that some of the faces of those who arrested the brothers had similarities with Castillos men. Castillos men were seen on February 5, prior to the incident when they called for a meeting of the villagers.
According to the information I received, the alleged perpetrators forcibly entered the victims houses before arresting Raymond at his mothers home and Reynaldo near his own home. Raymond was slapped and repeatedly beaten with a rifle butt. He was ordered to lie down with his hands tied behind his back. He was repeatedly kicked and dragged along the ground.
The alleged perpetrator illegally searched Reynaldo's house reportedly for hidden firearms. He was also ordered to kneel down. When he refused, the alleged perpetrators poked their guns at him and started kicking him. When they failed to find any arms, they left taking Reynaldo and Raymond with them. They later went to the nearby house of their neighbor, Bestre, where they forced the door open and ransacked some items inside.
I have also learned that the victims cousin, Celeste, who was with several children who are related to the Manalos, was poked with firearms. Celeste and the children were at the time on their way to the house of the victims parents.
I am aware that Celeste last saw Raymond and Reynaldo being taken by the alleged perpetrators in a white van. On February 15, Reynaldos wife Maria Leonora together with family members of the Manalos abandoned their homes for fear of their lives.
Although this incident has been reported to the Municipal Hall of Ildefonso, I am not aware of any investigation having been conducted on the victims whereabouts or the threat made to their family.
I urge your immediate intervention to exert all efforts to locate the victims whereabouts by closely coordinating with their respective family members. An immediate and impartial investigation should be conducted to look into the allegations regarding the possible involvement of the elements of the 24th Infantry Battalion. They must answer to the allegations made against them. If it is found that violations were committed against the victims, the perpetrators should be charged accordingly.
Furthermore, I request the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) to ensure that the disappeared victims relatives, who were also victims of threats and harassment, in particular the children, must be afforded with adequate security and protection to ensure their safety until the situation is remedied. They must likewise undergo appropriate counseling if necessary.
I trust that you will take immediate action in this case.
Yours sincerely,
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PLEASE SEND LETTERS TO:
1. Ms. Purificacion Quisumbing
Commissioner
Commission on Human Rights
SAAC Bldg., Commonwealth Avenue
U.P. Complex, Diliman
Quezon City
PHILIPPINES
Tel: +63 2 928-5655/926-6188
Fax: +63 2 929-0102
Email: drpvq@chr.gov.ph
2. Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
President
Republic of the Philippines
Malacanang Palace
JP Laurel Street, San Miguel
Manila 1005
PHILIPPINES
Tel: +63 2 735 6201 / 564 1451 to 80
Fax: +63 2 736 1010
3.P/DIR Gen. Arturo Lumibao
Chief, Philippine National Police (PNP)
Camp Crame
Quezon City
PHILIPPINES
Tel: +63 2726 4361/4366/8763
Fax: +63 2724 8763
4. Mr. Orlando Casimiro
Deputy Ombudsman
Office of the Deputy Ombudsman for the Military and
Other Law Enforcement Offices
3rd Floor, Ombudsman Bldg., Agham Road, Diliman (1104)
Quezon City
PHILIPPINES
Tel: +632 926 9032
Fax: +63 2 926-8747
5. Ms. Lualhati F. Pablo
Officer in Charge
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)
Batasan Pambansa Complex, Constitution Hills
Quezon City
PHILIPPINES
Tel.: +63 2 931-8101 to 07
Tel/Fax: +63 2 931-8138
6. Mr. Diego Garcia-Sayan,
Chairperson
UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances
C/o OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Fax: +41 22 917 9006
E-mail: urgent-action@ohchr.org
7. Mr. Jacob Egbert Doek
Chairperson
Committee on the Rights of the Child
OHCHR-UNOG
8-14 Avenue de la Paix
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Fax: +41 22 917 9022
8. Prof. Manfred Nowak
Special Rapporteur on the Question of Torture
Attn: Mr. Safir Syed
C/o OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Tel: +41 22 917 9230
Fax: +41 22 917 9016 (general)
E-mail: ssyed@ohchr.org
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ahrchk@ahrchk.org)
