Dear Friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) was deeply distressed to learn that a government employee, who opposed the construction of a huge dam that threatens to submerge the villages of indigenous communities, has been killed. He was murdered after he had allegedly been subjected to an overt surveillance.
CASE DETAILS: (Based on the documentation by KARAPATAN-Northern Mindanao Region)
Margarito Cabal was an employee of the Municipality of Kibawe, Bukidnon. Cabal was known for his opposition to the proposed construction of a Hydro-Electric Mega Dam – Pulangi V project. The proposed dam was the project of First Bukidnon Electric Cooperative (FIBECO). He was also a member of the Save Pulangi Alliance, a coalition of people in Bukidnon and Cotabato that are opposing the dam project.
The alliance has opposed the construction as, once completed, it threatens to submerge 22 villages in the provinces of Bukidnon and Cotabato, which includes the land, small farms and the communities of the indigenous people. One of the villages, Tumaras village, is where Cabal’s family live.
On 9 May 2012 at 6:30pm, Cabal returned to his rented home in Palma village from the Kibawe town proper where he worked. He stayed in his rented house during weekdays and returned home on weekends at Tumaras village with his wife and three children. As he was parking his motorcycle, he was shot several times by gunmen riding on a red motorcycle. Some of the neighbours, who heard the shooting, hid in their homes for safety.
After the shooting, his neighbours immediate took him to the nearest hospital but he was declared dead on arrival. He sustained three gunshot wounds in his chest and one in the back from a .45 calibre pistol. The attackers were seen fleeing onboard a red motorcycle with no licence plate number after the shooting. The driver was wearing a helmet and black jacket and the gunman wore a ski mask, dark jacket and denim pants.
Prior to Cabal’s murder, in April 2012 he had already informed his colleagues that a police mobile was suspected to have been tailing him. On one occasion, a police officer riding in a vehicle directed his flashlight at the boarding house he was renting. On 6 May, men onboard a motorcycle were seen near his residence.
Cabal had been suspected by the authorities of having “connection with the communist ‘left'” simply because he has had his frequent trips in the mountain villages of Kibawe which the soldiers labelled as “red areas” (areas of the rebels).
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write letters to the concerned authorities listed below expressing your concern about this case.
The AHRC is also writing a separate letter to the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders and Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions.
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To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear __________,
PHILIPPINES: Gunmen killed a government worker opposing construction of a dam that threatens to submerged villages
Name of the victim: Margarito "Boy" Cabal, 47 years old, resident of Tumaras village, Kibawe, Bukidnon; married with three children, he works as a utility worker of the Municipality of Kibawe, Bukidnon. He was a member of Save Pulangi Alliance, a coalition of peoples in Bukidnon and Cotabato resisting the dam project.
Background of his work: Cabal, known for his opposition to the proposed construction of a Hydro-Electric Mega Dam – Pulangi V, was an employee of the Municipality of Kibawe, Bukidnon. The project threatens to submerge 22 villages in the provinces of Bukidnon and Cotabato
Alleged Perpetrators: Two unidentified men onboard a red motorcycle with no plate number.
Date of incident: 9 May 2012 at 6:30pm
Place of incident: Palma village, Kibawe town, Bukidnon
I am writing to draw your attention about the killing of Margarito Cabal, a utility worker who worked for the Municipal government of Kibawe, Bukidnon. I have learned that Cabal's murder was a result of his advocacy opposing the construction of a dam, the Hydro-Electric Dam. The dam threatens to submerge 22 villages, including the land, small farms and communities of the indigenous peoples. The Tumaras village, where Cabal's family resides, will also be affected by the dam.
Unidentified gunmen shot dead Cabal on 9 May 2012 at 6:30pm at his rented house in Palma village, Kibawe. He was shot as he was parking his motorcycle close to his house. The attackers were riding a red motorcycle with no number plate. The driver was wearing a helmet and black jacket and the gunman wore a ski mask, dark jacket and denim pants. Cabal was taken to the nearest hospital, but was declared dead on arrival. Cabal sustained three gunshot wounds on the chest, and one to the back from a .45 calibre pistol.
Prior to his murder, Cabal has already been the object of an overt surveillance. In April 2012, he had informed his colleagues that he noticed a police vehicle following him. At another occasion, the police riding the vehicle had directed their flashlight at his boarding house. On 6 May, men onboard a motorcycle were seen near the victim's boarding house in Palma village. Also, he was suspected of having alleged connections with the rebel group for the simple reason that he had been going to the hinterland villages of Kibawe that the military had reportedly labelled as rebel areas.
I urge you to ensure that an investigation be conducted in his murder. Also, the witnesses and family of the victim should also be guaranteed with adequate security and protection to ensure they would have possibility of obtaining remedies should they decide to take legal action. I trust that you will take appropriate action in these cases.
Yours sincerely,
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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
3. 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
4. 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 Desk
Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) (ua@ahrc.asia)
