Dear Friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you of the illegal arrest and detention of the Lampusay siblings. One of the victims is a former volunteer educator of the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines – Northern Mindanao (RMP-NMR). The Lampusay siblings were accused of being members of the New People’s Army (NPA). The victims were arrested without any arrest warrant.
CASE DETAILS: (Based on the documentation by Rural Missionaries of the Philippines (RMP))
On 3August 2015 at Sitio Kibungkol, barangay Hindangan, Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental, Daniel Lampusay, 22 and his brother Ejun, 18 were illegally arrested and detained by the elements of 58th Infantry Battalion. Daniel Lampusay was a former volunteer teacher at the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines – Northern Mindanao Region (RMP-NMR), under their Literacy-Numeracy program.
According to RMP-NMR, the siblings were first held at a local daycare center of the said barangay (village) which the military forces used as their detachment, then transferred to Medina town police station and finally detained at the Misamis Oriental Provincial Jail. The victims were arrested without any arrest warrant.
This incident is part of the continuing attacks on the Lumad indigenous people and the RMP initiated alternative learning schools in Northern Mindanao, Southern Mindanao, South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos City (Soccksargen) and Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur and Dinagat Islands (Caraga) regions. These schools have been tagged by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) as communist-led schools, due to which they often harass the teachers and students with their continuous military operations.
According to Sr. Francis Añover, it is sad that the military accuses the siblings as members of the New Peoples’ Army (NPA) when they are deeply impoverished farm workers in a coconut grove. “We, as missionaries, know the plight of the rural poor and their aspiration only is the upliftment of their family from poverty and starvation.”
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write letters to the concerned authorities listed below expressing your concern about this case and asking for their immediate action to release the Lampusay siblings.
The AHRC is also writing a separate letter to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear ………………..,
PHILIPPINES: Former teacher of the Rural Missionaries illegally arrested and detained by military
Name of arrested victims:
1. Daniel Lampusay, 22 years old, former volunteer teacher of Rural Missionaries of the Philippines – Northern Mindanao Region (RMP-NMR) under Literacy-Numeracy program. He is a farm worker in a coconut grove.
2. Ejun Lampusay, 18 years old, farm worker in a coconut grove.
Alleged Perpetrators: Elements of 58th Infantry Battalion
Date of incident: 03 August 2015
Place of incident: Sitio Kibungkol, barangay Hindangan, Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental
Presently detained at Misamis Oriental Provincial Jail
I am writing to raise my concern on the case of the illegal arrest and detention of Lampusay siblings in Northern Mindanao.
On 03 August 2015 at Sitio Kibungkol, barangay Hindangan, Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental, Daniel Lampusay, 22 and his brother Ejun, 18 were illegally arrested and detained by the elements of 58th Infantry Battalion. Daniel Lampusay was a former volunteer teacher at the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines – Northern Mindanao Region (RMP-NMR), under their Literacy-Numeracy program.
According to RMP-NMR, the siblings were first held at a local daycare center of the said barangay (village) which the military forces used as their detachment, then transferred to Medina town police station and finally detained at the Misamis Oriental Provincial Jail. The victims were arrested without any arrest warrant.
I have learnt that this incident is part of the continuing attacks on the Lumad indigenous people and the RMP initiated alternative learning schools in Northern Mindanao, Southern Mindanao, South Cotabato, Cotabato, Soccksargen and Caraga regions. These schools have been tagged by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) as communist-led schools, due to which they often harass the teachers and students with their continuous military operations.
According to Sr. Francis Añover, it is sad that the military accuses the siblings of being members of the New Peoples’ Army (NPA) when they are deeply impoverished farm workers in a coconut grove. “We, as missionaries, know the plight of the rural poor and their aspiration only is the upliftment of their family from poverty and starvation.”
I urge you to investigate this case thoroughly, and ensure that the siblings are released immediately if there is no case filed against them. Moreover, those responsible for their arrest and detention should be held responsible.
I trust that you will take appropriate action in this regard.
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. Mr. Jose Luis Martin Gascon
Chairperson
Commission on Human Rights
SAAC Bldg., Commonwealth Avenue
U.P. Complex, Diliman
Quezon City
PHILIPPINES
Fax: +63 2 929 0102
3. Police Director Ricardo Marquez
Chief
Philippine National Police (PNP),
Camp General Rafael Crame,
Quezon City
PHILIPPINES
Fax +632 7248763
Email: feedback@pnp.gov.ph
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 Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrc.asia)
