For the third time, torture victims Raymond Manalo and Oscar Leuterio asked the Ombudsman to resolve the case of kidnapping, arbitrary detention, torture, physical injuries, threat and involuntary servitude and violation of RA 7438 (Rights of Persons Arrested, Detained or under Custodial Investigation) against their military torturers.
Manalo and Leuterio were both victims of enforced disappearance and torture. They were fortunate enough to get out from the hands of their military captors. They both saw missing UP students Karen Empeño and Sherlyn Cadapan held by soldiers under the command of then Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan Jr.
“We had our hope that when Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales took the place of Merceditas Gutierrez, the victims of human rights violations will get justice. But with the Ombudsman’s decision to junk the fertilizer fund graft case against Gloria Arroyo, Raymond Manalo and Oscar Leuterio’s cases against the Arroyo generals grow dim,” Marie Hilao-Enriquez, chairperson of Karapatan, said. “Our hope gets even dimmer with so many years of waiting without any progress on these cases.”
Manalo filed the complaint as early as September 12, 2008, while Leuterio filed his complaint on November 6, 2008. This was during the Arroyo regime. Three years without any resolution, on July 26, 2011, the first motion to resolve was filed. Five months later, a second motion to resolve the case was filed on December 12, 2011. It was only then that Leuterio was given a copy of his dismissed complaint dated August 22, 2008. Leuterio, through his lawyers from the National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL), filed a motion for reconsideration. It has been three years since then but the Ombudsman has yet to come out with a resolution.
Respondents to the Manalo complaint are Lt. Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan Jr., Maj. Gen. Juanito Gomez, Rizal Hilario, M/Sgt. Donald Caigas, Michael Dela Cruz, Jose Dela Cruz, Maximo “Pula” dela Cruz, Roman “Puti” de la Cruz, Randy Mendoza, Rudy Mendoza, Pablo Cunanan, Bernardo “Junior” Lingasa, Jr., Barangay Tanod Chief Rolando Sabado, Barangay Tanod Marty Adriano, Severino Macapagal, Sanito Parungao, Amang Ramires and alias “Kayat.”
Respondents to the Leuterio complaints are Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan Jr., and Maj. Gen. Gomez. Added respondents are Lt. Col. Manuel Clement, 2nd Lt. Ferdinand Basas, Alvin Pastrana, Alias “Boy Muslim”, Amarlon Galopa, Alias”Sotto”, Alias “Bitoy” and Alias “Aladin”.
Raymond Manalo, a farmer, was abducted on February 14, 2006 with his brother Reynaldo in San Ildefonso, Bulacan. They were in captivity for 18 months until they had a chance to escape. Leuterio, a security guard, was abducted by military personnel on April 17, 2006 in Dona Remedios Trinidad, Bulacan. He was brought to different military camps and later, to Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija where he saw the two missing UP students – Cadapan and Empeño. He was later released by the military after pretending to cooperate with them.
