PHILIPPINES: Civilians assisting wounded soldiers shot dead

Dear Friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) deeply regrets to inform you that four civilians assisting ambushed soldiers were shot dead and accused of being rebels. The victims were allegedly killed by the Bravo Company of the 9th Infantry Battalion-Philippine Army.

CASE DETAILS: (Based on the documentation by Alliance for the Advancement of Peoples Rights (KARAPATAN))

On 3 August 2015, 4 p.m., members of the Bravo Company of the 9th Infantry Battalion-Philippine Army (IBPA), 93rd Division Reconnaissance Company, 96th Military Intelligence Command, Regional Intelligence Unit (RIU) and five members of the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) Masbate were ambushed by members of the New People’s Army at the National Highway, Brgy. Del Carmen, Uson, Masbate. According to news reports, Sgt. Fernandez Leynes Jr. was killed, while four other soldiers and reporter Jet Ramos were wounded.

The ambush happened three kilometres away from Bgy. Del Carmen, where a fellow soldier Lt. Romel Arnado resides. As soon as Arnado received a call from the ambushed soldiers, he immediately sought the help of barangay captain (village chief) Sulpicio Abelida Mahinay to use the village’s patrol car to bring the wounded soldiers to the nearest hospital. Mahinay readily agreed.

Mahinay asked four habal-habal drivers Adam Fajardo, Joebert Badillo, Gary Vistar, and nephew Rogelio Abelida, Jr to help the soldiers.

The habal-habal drivers went ahead to the place of incident. After ten minutes, the barangay’s patrol car arrived. Bgy. Capt. Mahinay immediately helped the wounded soldiers to the patrol car while talking to some of the soldiers. 

After some time, three teachers of Del Carmen National High School headed by Mr. Quiles went to the ambush site to see if it was safe for their students to pass by the highway. Mr. Quiles noticed that a checkpoint was already set-up and a number of soldiers were resting, eating snacks and smoking cigarettes. Mr. Quiles asked one of the soldiers if the students going home may pass through, but the soldier advised him otherwise.

Just before the teachers were about to leave, Rogelio Abelida, Jr. called on Mr. Philip Quiles. Mr. Quiles noticed Abelida Jr. and his companions were being held by the soldiers and were seated next to each other at the side of the road. Mr. Quiles informed the soldiers that he knew Abelida and the three habal-habal drivers and asked if he could bring them back. The soldiers declined saying only the teachers could go back but the four drivers should stay behind.

“Please tell mama that I am here,” Abelida Jr. told Mr. Quiles. The teachers then rode on their motorcycles and went back to school. That was the last time the four were seen alive. Five minutes later, several gunshots were heard.

It was already around 5:30 p.m. when Bgy. Capt. Mahinay arrived at their village hall. He was surprised to see so many people, all family and friends of the habal-habal drivers he had asked to help the soldiers. He found out that the four had been held and shot dead by the soldiers.

Mahinay immediately rode a motorcycle with Rogelio’s brother, Mark Abelida, to check on the four. On the way, they noticed two military trucks moving and were escorted on both sides by soldiers who were on foot. They decided to follow the trucks. It was then Mark noticed that the truck was loaded with corpses. Although it was covered, Mark was able to recognize the clothes of his brother Rogelio.

Around 6:45 p.m., the trucks arrived at the town’s plaza just beside the barangay hall. The military truck entered the plaza and the soldiers closed the plaza gates. Even Mahinay, who introduced himself as the barangay captain, was not allowed inside. It was only at around 7:20 p.m., when the police came, that the gates of the plaza were opened. The village officers and the families of the four immediately went inside. The soldiers tried to prevent the families to see the bodies but Madel, Gary Vistar’s wife, insisted. Using a flashlight, because electricity was cut off at that time, Madel was able to identify her husband’s dead body. She cried out loud. The other families began to see the bodies of their dead kin. They also started to cry out loud.

Mahinay confronted the soldiers saying the four were his constituents and one of them was his nephew whom he requested to assist the wounded soldiers. “They were NPA,” the soldiers just said.

The four’s relatives and friends were crying angrily and they shouted at the soldiers. An estimate of 300 residents of barangay Del Carmen gathered at the plaza that night to show their grief and anger.

Adam Fajardo left behind four children from his first marriage and three children, all minors, from his second marriage. His second wife just died, leaving their children orphans. Joebert Badillo is a habal-habal driver and sometimes works as a driver for soldier Sgt. Ramos. Gary Vistar left behind three children, all minors. His eldest is eight years old and his youngest is barely eight months old. Rogelio supplies chicken and duck eggs to stores in Del Carmen.

SUGGESTED ACTION: 
Kindly send letters to the concerned authorities listed below requesting for their immediate intervention in this case.

The AHRC is also writing a separate letter to the Special Rapporteur on extra-judicial, summary or arbitrary executions, calling for their intervention in this case.

To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER