Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes with grave concern that the children of Alejandro “Bong” Reblando, one of the 32 journalists murdered in the November 2009 Maguindanao massacre, have been subjected to overt surveillance in their home in General Santos City. The AHRC is deeply concerned by the targeting of Reblando’s widow and children in their pursuit of seeking legal remedies for the death of their loved one and the lack of adequate protection to ensure their safety.
CASE UPDATE:
As it has been widely reported, the widow of Alejandro “Bong” Reblando, Myrna, and her children have been pursuing prosecution for the death of their father, together with other family members of journalists murdered in the massacre. Myrna, however, broke down in one of the court trials she observed. For details, read our previous appeal and statement on this: AHRC-UAC-165-2009 and AHRC-STM-032-2011.
For months, Myrna has been undergoing trauma counseling. In her absence from the trial, she delegated her six children to represent her, as needed, in court and to carry out the criminal prosecution for the murder of their father against the accused. Before Myrna’s children took responsibility in representing her case, she herself had received threats and money worth Php three million was offered for her murder.
Myrna talked about this in this interview in the local language on February 21, 2011.
As certified by Jose Manuel Mamauag, Focal Commissioner for Mindanao of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), on May 23, 2011, the threats to life of Myrna and her children are real, not subjective:
“…in the course of my visitation in Mindanao as Focal Commissioner for that area, I had the opportunity to meet and get confirmation from people probing into the November 23, 2009 Maguindanao Massacre of the existence of continuing serious threats on the life of Myrna P. Reblando and her children, all heirs of massacre victim and Manila Bulletin journalist Alejandro “Bong” Reblando. The seriousness of such threats renders very risky the stay of the Reblandos in their “unsecured” place of residence”
Since May 2011, no adequate and state-sponsored protection had been afforded to ensure the security and safety of Reblando’s six children. Thus, what his children could do was to report the overt surveillance that they noticed at their home in General Santos City to the closest police station. Here is the excerpt of the report:
On November 23, 2011 at 1:04pm
Noel Christopher Reblando “appeared to this office and requested to put on record as alleged that OOA (on or about) 12:37 November 23, 2011 he saw a person in military uniform push his single motorcycle and passed to the front of their residence by the time that he was saw by the said person who is in military uniform. He start his single motorcycle and speed up towards north direction” [quoted verbatim].
On the same day, his other son also reported:
James Ryan Reblando “appeared to this office and requested to put on record that sometimes of first week of October there was a group of Muslim’s person from North Cotabato was for him it was gaining information for his father was a victim of Maguidanao massacre (Bong Reblando) and 2nd time sometimes of 3rd week of October 2011 a group of three (3) malefactor boarded on top down passed three (3) times to the front of their residence and sight seeing to their house, by the time that they got assumed said top down speed-up towards south direction” [quoted verbatim]
On December 9, 2011, his other daughter also reported:
Maria Priscilla Zainal “appeared to this office and requested to put on record as alleged that OOA (on or about) 5:05pm of this date one multicab color white stop fronting a little to their house boarded with one person and sight seeing to their house from the northside of their home the driver drove his multicab slowly mobiling to the south direction of their home” [quoted verbatim]
However, despite the CHR’s confirmation of the “existence of continuing serious threats” and repeated reporting of Reblando’s children to the police station close to their home, under the General Santos City Police Office (GSCPO), no investigations have been conducted into this matter, and none of them were offered security and protection. As shown, the police merely recorded their complaints without acting on them.
The AHRC is deeply concerned by the continued failure and inaction, if not omission, on the part of the local police in General Santos City to ensure the safety of this family. We are of the opinion that the threats to Reblando’s children are deliberate acts to intimidate and harass them into withdrawing from the prosecution of the murder case.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Kindly send letters to the concerned authorities listed below asking for their immediate intervention.
The AHRC has also written letters to the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders and the independence of judges and lawyers.
To support this appeal, please click here:
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear __________,
PHILIPPINES: Children of murdered journalist subjected to overt surveillance
Names of person facing threats:
1. Noel Christopher Reblando, 36 years old
2. James Ryan Reblando, 35
3. Maria Priscilla Zainal, 23
They are all children of Alejandro “Bong” Reblando, one of the 32 journalists murdered in the Maguindanao massacre
Place of incident: At their home in Barangay Calumpang, General Santos City
Date of incident: From November 23, 2011 to present
I am writing to express my grave concern and request your prompt intervention to ensure the security and safety of the children of Alejandro “Bong” Reblando, one of the 32 journalists murdered in the Maguindanao massacre, who are facing continuing threats on their lives. His children, whose names are mentioned above, had reported the threats after taking up the prosecution for the murder of their father, Alejandro, on behalf of their mother, Myrna.
I am aware that Myrna, who herself had to endure threats and risk, had to stop attending her husband’s murder trial and undergo ongoing treatment due to the trauma that she had suffered, and from the negative experience she had in court.
Myrna thus asked her children to represent her case in the criminal prosecution; and for them to take responsibility as complainants for criminal prosecution. I believe her children are now facing threats due to their role in the prosecution of the case. I am aware that Myrna herself had a Php three million bounty on her head for anyone who could murder her as a result of her refusal to withdraw her complaint for murder.
Also, the threats to life of Myrna and her children are real, not subjective, as certified by Jose Manuel Mamauag, Focal Commissioner for Mindanao of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), on May 23, 2011, stating that:
“…in the course of my visitation in Mindanao as Focal Commissioner for that area, I had the opportunity to meet and get confirmation from people probing into the November 23, 2009 Maguindanao Massacre of the existence of continuing serious threats on the life of Myrna P. Reblando and her children, all heirs of massacre victim and Manila Bulletin journalist Alejandro “Bong” Reblando. The seriousness of such threats renders very risky the stay of the Reblandos in their “unsecured” place of residence”
Since May 2011, no adequate and state-sponsored protection had been afforded to ensure the security and safety of Reblando’s six children. Thus, what his children could do was to report the overt surveillance that they noticed at their home in General Santos City to the closest police station. Here is the excerpt of the report:
On November 23, 2011 at 1:04pm
Noel Christopher Reblando “appeared to this office and requested to put on record as alleged that OOA (on or about) 12:37 November 23, 2011 he saw a person in military uniform push his single motorcycle and passed to the front of their residence by the time that he was saw by the said person who is in military uniform. He start his single motorcycle and speed up towards north direction” [quoted verbatim].
On the same day, his other son also reported:
James Ryan Reblando “appeared to this office and requested to put on record that sometimes of the first week of October there was a group of Muslim’s person from North Cotabato was for him it was gaining information for his father was a victim of Maguidanao massacre (Bong Reblando) and 2nd time sometimes of 3rd week of October 2011 a group of three (3) malefactor boarded on top down passed three (3) times to the front of their residence and sight seeing to their house, by the time that they got assumed said top down speed-up towards south direction” [quoted verbatim]
On December 9, 2011, his other daughter also reported:
Maria Priscilla Zainal “appeared to this office and requested to put on record as alleged that OOA (on or about) 5:05pm of this date one multicab color white stop fronting a little to their house boarded with one person and sight seeing to their house from the northside of their home the driver drove his multicab slowly mobiling to the south direction of their home” [quoted verbatim]
Although the threats to Myrna and her children were properly and immediately reported to the police authorities, no action was taken to investigate this matter apart from merely recording their complaints.
I trust that you will take immediate action on this matter and ensure the safety of Myrna’s family.
Yours sincerely,
——————-
PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
1. Mr. Benigno Aquino III
President
Republic of the Philippines
Malacanang Palace
JP Laurel Street, San Miguel
Manila 1005
PHILIPPINES
Fax: +63 2 736 1010
Tel: +63 2 735 6201 / 564 1451 to 80
2. Ms. Loretta Ann Rosales
Commission on Human Rights
SAAC Bldg., Commonwealth Avenue
U.P. Complex, Diliman
Quezon City
PHILIPPINES
Fax: +63 2 929 0102
Tel: +63 2 928 5655 / 926 6188
E-mail: chair.rosales.chr@gmail.com
4. Director General Nicanor Bartolome
Chief, Philippine National Police (PNP)
Camp General Rafael Crame
Quezon City
PHILIPPINES
Fax: +63 2724 8763
Tel: +63 2 726 4361/4366/8763
E-mail: ruth_cossid@yahoo.com
5. Ms. Leila de Lima
Secretary
Department of Justice (DOJ)
DOJ Bldg., Padre Faura
1004 Manila
PHILIPPINES
Fax: +63 2 521 1614
E-mail: soj@doj.gov.ph
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrc.asia)
