PHILIPPINES: Three people killed and three others wounded by military forces in Matan-ao, Davao del Sur, Mindanao 

Dear Friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is forwarding an appeal from the Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP), Mindanao, about the killing of three people and the wounding of three others by military officers belonging to the 25th Infantry Battalion (IB), Philippine Army in Matan-ao, Davao del Sur, Philippines.

Those who were killed were siblings Francisco Bulane (32), Padilla Bulane (29) and Prumencio Bulane (28), while their other siblings Richard (31) and Rogelio (42) were wounded, as was Rogelio’s son Ricky (16).  Richard is still in a critical condition. According to the report, the Bulane brothers were shot dead by military forces who were on a military operation in the area, while they were trying to rescue Rogelio and Richard.

Your action is requested to pressure the Philippine government to take immediate action on this incident by conducting an impartial investigation so that those responsible can be punished for the killing and wounding of innocent civilians. Please also demand the Philippine government to impose a disciplinary sanction against the military unit responsible while the case is being investigated.

Urgent Appeals Desk
Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
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PHILIPPINES: EXTRA-JUDICIAL KILLING OF CIVILIANS BELONGED TO INDIGENOUS GROUP

Victim/s:
Killed: Francisco Bulane (32), Padilla Bulane (29), Prumencio Bulane (28)
Wounded: Richard Bulane (31), Rogelio Bulane (42) and his son Ricky Bulane (16), all of them are farmers belonging to an Indigenous Tribe B’laans and residents of Sitio Latil, Barangay Colonsabak, Matan-ao, Davao del Sur, Philippines.
Date of Incident: February 8, 2005
Place of the incident: Sitio Latil, Barangay Colonsabak, Matan-ao, Davao del Sur, Mindanao, Philippines
Perpetrators: About 50 troop members of 25th Infantry Battalion (IB) of the Philippine Army based in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur

Case details: (based on the accounts of the victims)

Three (3) persons were killed while three (3) others were wounded, after some more or less fifty (50) members of 25th Infantry Battalion of Philippine Army, strafed them on February 8, 2005 at about 6:30 in the morning in Sitio Latil, barangay Colonsabak, Matan-ao, Davao del Sur, island of Mindanao, Philippines.

The victims killed on the spot, who are all brothers, were identified as; Francisco Bulane, 32 years old, married, Padilla Bulane, 29 years old, married and Prumencio Bulane, 28, married. The wounded victims were; Rogelio Bulane, 42 years old, married with 5 children, Ricky, 16 years old, son of Rogelio and Richard Bulane, 31 years old, married. All are farmers and belonged to indigenous group called B’laans and all were siblings of Rogelio.

According to Rogelio, in the morning of February 8, he and his son Ricky went to the river, some three (3) kilometers away from their house purposely to catch fish and edible frogs for food.

Rogelio said they had with them about four (4) kilos of fish and preparing to eat, but they were surprised when they heard gun fire. He said the soldiers fired at them from a distance without reason. The first gun shot according to Rogelio hit the back portion of his head but did not penetrate. Rogelio said he was thrown about four (4) meters away when he was hit with an M-79 in the back.

Rogelio said that he saw his son Ricky also hit with bullets. Then, he instructed him to run and ask help from his brothers. Rogelio said after several minutes the gun fire stopped and he pretended to be dead. The military came closer to him. He did not move and the soldiers thought that he was dead.

According to Rogelio, as the soldiers instead cooked their fish catch and edible frogs, he overhead somebody say “we will charge this person as being a member of the New People’s Army (NPA)”. Another soldier said, “we will finish him off” and another replied that he was already dead.

Rogelio said that upon sensing the soldiers were busy eating, he slowly crawled to the riverbank to get into some grass for cover. After several minutes, the military noticed that he had disappeared and they searched in the area but did not find him. The soldiers left the area after several minutes. Rogelio then crawled back to the place of incident so that his family could locate him.

Rogelio said he sustained twelve (12) gunshot wounds in his body but was fortunate that only four (4) bullets penetrated. Two (2) bullets hit in the back portion of his body, one (1) in the left side and one (1) in the lower left portion of his body. He said that he was rescued by his family at about 3:30pm was brought to the hospital.

In an interview with Ricky, the son of Rogelio, he said he ran fast leaving his father to ask help from his uncle. When he reached their house, his uncle Richard was there and he told him to help his father as he was shot by soldiers.

Ricky sustained eleven (11) gunshot wounds, but only two (2) bullets penetrated. One (1) bullet hit the lower left portion of his feet and one (1) in the left side of his body. He said he was brought by his grandmother going to the Poblacion and made to ride in a horse. When they reached the Poblacion area he was brought to the hospital for treatment.

According to Judith, the wife of Richard, her husband left the house immediately to rescue his brother after hearing the incident. Judith said that her husband did not reach the location of Rogelio, as he was met with bullets. Judith said that he was hit thirteen (13) times, but only two (2) bullets penetrated. Richard sustained gunshot wounds in the left portion of his shoulder which exited to his armpit. He was still in a critical condition.

Judith said the three (3) brothers of Richard tried to retreat when they were met by gunfire but they were shot dead instead.

Requested Action:
Kindly write to the Philippine government asking them to conduct an impartial investigation and bring to justice the members of the military who perpetrated the killing of three (3) civilian farmers and wounding of three (3) others. Please also urge the Philippine government to indemnify the families of the victims.

Thank you.

Prepared by:

RITA M. MELECIO
Regional Coordinator
Task Force Detainees of the Philippines
Northern/Southern Mindanao Region
February 12 2005

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