Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from local organisation PARRDS (Partnership for Agrarian Reform and Rural Development Services) that a farming leader named Mr. Joseph Matunding was shot dead by unidentified assailants on 30 January 2007. His murder was allegedly a consequence of his active involvement in an agrarian dispute involving land that was legally owned by him and another 19 farmers. His wife, Teresita, was also wounded during the attack. While confined at hospital, Teresita may have also been targeted in another attempted attack after unidentified men reportedly entered her room. The intruders only left the hospital after the doctors on duty had noticed their suspicious movement. Teresita’s and her seven children are now in grave concern.
CASE DETAILS:
On 30 January 2007 at around 10:00 pm, an unidentified man wearing a hat approached Mr. Joseph Matunding (43) and shot him in the legs after he entered the gate of his house in Barangay Manduawak, San Dionisio, Iloilo. As the victim collapsed, another unidentified man arrived and shot him another several times. The victim died from seven gunshot wounds to his chest and neck. Although the police recovered 14 empty shells from a .45 Caliber pistol at the crime scene, the perpetrators have yet to be identified and no arrests have been made.
Mr. Matunding was a leader of a farmers’ organisation named Pagtingob Sang Mangunguma Kag Mamumugon Sa Kaumhan (PASAMAKA) and also a member of UNORKA (Ugnayan ng mga Nagsasariling Lokal na Organisasyon sa Kanayunan), Provincial Executive Committee (EXECOM). He has allegedly become the 38th farming leader killed in relation over agrarian issues since 2001.
In December 2006, UNORKA, an alliance of local groups pushing for genuine land reform, reported the plight of Mr. Matunding and his fellow claimants before the Department of Agrarian Reform. The group requested immediate intervention by the department to prevent any further intimidation that he and his colleagues had been experiencing. Prior to his murder, Matunding was one of the 2,342 farmers receiving serious death threats.
Mr. Matunding and his group had entered fierce litigation against the influential Lopez family, Peter Paul Lopez, a former Town Mayor and Bec-bec Lopez, a former police chief, who claim that a portion of the farm land had been awarded to them. The land covers 84-hectares located in Barangay Manduawak. Mr. Matunding’s group had already obtained the Certificate of Land Ownership Award from the Department of Agrarian Reform; however, the actual possession of the land has yet to be turned over to them from the Lopez family.
It has also been revealed that Mr. Matunding had reported the two suspected murders wondering around his house a week prior to the incident. The victim had also allegedly been under intense surveillance by unknown characters for over one year.
Mr. Matunding’s wife, Mrs. Teresia Bartolome-Matunding, was also allegedly hit by the perpetrators and suffered a gunshot wound to her waist. She was taken to the Sara District Hospital for the treatment. During her stay at the hospital, she was visited twice by six unidentified individuals with intent to intimidate and terrorize her. Two of the unidentified men came to her hospital room at around 1:00 am on February 1. Fortunately, when a doctor noticed the men he asked for identification at which point they immediately left her room. Later that day at around 9:00 am, another four unidentified men came to her hospital room. When Teresia’s friends and relatives noticed them, they scared them away by calling the police.
Teresita has now been discharged from the hospital; however, serious concerns remain for her security and that of her seven children. Likewise, they will also be experiencing financial difficulty since their murdered husband and father was the only breadwinner of the family.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:
Agrarian disputes and related security matters of farmers fighting over land ownership is a serious issue that is contributing to human rights violations throughout the country. Please see UA-047-2007; UA-399-2006; UA-350-2006; UA-223-2006 for former reports on agrarian dispute related issues.
The Philippine government established the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) as major implementing agency of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Programme (CARP).The programme is designed to help farmers gain legal ownership of the land they are cultivating. However, this is often subverted by influential landowners who have refused to part with their property or have their land covered under the CARP.
In recent times, the government had been unable to ensure the immediate and lawful distribution of land as provided by the CARP to rightful claimants. As a result, violence has erupted over farmers’ struggle to claim their right to land and the refusal of the landowners to adhere to the land reform programme.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write letters to the concerned authorities requesting them to conduct an immediate and thorough investigation into this case. Please also urge them to provide sufficient security to Mrs. Matunding and the necessary assistance to the other farmers who have been fighting over land entitlement claims.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear __________,
PHILIPPINES: Widow and seven children in grave danger after husband shot dead in Iloilo
Name of victim killed: Joseph Matunding, 43 years old, a farmer leader of the organization Pagtingob Sang Mangunguma Kag Mamumugon Sa Kaumhan (PASAMAKA), and a member of UNORKA (Ugnayan ng mga Nagsasariling Lokal na Organisasyon sa Kanayunan) Provincial Executive Committee (EXECOM), from Barangay Manduawak, San Dionisio, Iloilo
Name of wounded victim: Mrs. Teresita Matunding, the murdered victim’s wife.
Alleged perpetrator/s: two unidentified men
Place of incident: at the victims’ house in Barangay (village) Manduawak, San Dionisio, Iloilo
Date of incident: at around 10:00 pm on 30 January 2007
I am writing to express my grave concern over the murder of a farming leader and an assault on his wife allegedly over the legal ownership of land that has been entitled to the victim and 19 other farmers.
According to the information I have received, on 30 January 2007 at around 10:00 pm, an unidentified man wearing a hat approached Mr. Joseph Matunding (43) and shot him in the legs after he entered the gate of his house in Barangay Manduawak, San Dionisio, Iloilo. As the victim collapsed, another unidentified man arrived and shot him another several times. The victim died from seven gunshot wounds to his chest and neck. I have learned that although the police recovered 14 empty shells from a .45 Caliber pistol at the crime scene, the perpetrators have yet to be identified and no arrests have been made.
I have heard that at the time of his death, Mr. Matunding was a leader of a farmers’ organisation named Pagtingob Sang Mangunguma Kag Mamumugon Sa Kaumhan (PASAMAKA) and also a member of UNORKA (Ugnayan ng mga Nagsasariling Lokal na Organisasyon sa Kanayunan), Provincial Executive Committee (EXECOM). He has allegedly become the 38th farming leader killed in relation over agrarian issues since 2001.
In December 2006, UNORKA, an alliance of local groups pushing for genuine land reform, reported the plight of Mr. Matunding and his fellow claimants before the Department of Agrarian Reform. The group requested immediate intervention by the department to prevent any further intimidation that he and his colleagues had been experiencing. Prior to his murder, Matunding was one of the 2,342 farmers receiving serious death threats.
I also know that Mr. Matunding and his group had entered fierce litigation against the influential Lopez family, Peter Paul Lopez, a former Town Mayor and Bec-bec Lopez, a former police chief, who claim that a portion of the farm land had been awarded to them. The land covers 84-hectares located in Barangay Manduawak. Mr. Matunding’s group had already obtained the Certificate of Land Ownership Award from the Department of Agrarian Reform; however, the actual possession of the land has yet to be turned over to them from the Lopez family.
It pains me to hear that Mr. Matunding’s wife Teresita was also wounded during the attack and had suffered a gunshot wound to her waist. After she was taken to the Sara District Hospital, six unidentified men allegedly visited her room. At 1:00 am on February 1, two men entered her room and were only chased away after the doctor on duty asked for identification. Later that day at around 9:00 am, another four unidentified men came to her hospital room. When Teresia’s friends and relatives noticed them, they scared them away by calling the police.
Teresita has now been discharged from the hospital; however, serious concerns remain for her security and that of her seven children. Likewise, they will also be experiencing financial difficulty since their murdered husband and father was the only breadwinner of the family.
In light of the above, I urge you to immediately launch a thorough and impartial investigation into the killing of Mr. Matunding and hopes of bringing the perpetrators to justice. Also I strongly request that you use everything in your power to ensure the security and safety of Teresita and her children. I am worried that if immediate action is not taken, it will become more difficulty to identify and apprehend the perpetrators. Protection for Teresita and her family must be the utmost priority in this case.
Finally, I would like to express my deep concern over the continued violence taken place against farmers and villagers seeking genuine land reform. I urge you to once again take appropriate measures to ensure the safety and security for this vulnerable group of individuals. I am extremely disappointed by the government’s failure to protect the lives and property of these people even though the authority’s is completely aware of their situation. It is totally unacceptable that farmers claiming a right to own land would be subjected to attacks while the government stands idly by.
I look forward your immediate action into this serious matter.
Yours sincerely,
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PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTER TO:
1. Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
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. Purificacion Quisumbing
Commissioner
Commission on Human Rights
SAAC Bldg., Commonwealth Avenue
U.P. Complex, Diliman
Quezon City
PHILIPPINES
Tel: +63 2 928 5655 / 926 6188
Fax: +63 2 929 0102
Email: drpvq@yahoo.com
3. Director General Oscar Calderon
Chief, Philippine National Police (PNP)
Camp General Rafael Crame
Quezon City
PHILIPPINES
Tel: +63 2 726 4361/4366/8763
Fax: +63 2724 8763
Email: bluetree73@gmail.com
4. Mr. Raul Gonzalez
Secretary
Department of Justice
DOJ Bldg., Padre Faura
1004 Manila
PHILIPPINES
Fax: +63 2 521 1614
5. Mr. Datu Nasser C. Pangandaman, Al Haj
Secretary
Department of Agrarian Reform
Elliptical Road
Diliman, Quezon City
PHILIPPINES
Tel: +63 2 920 0308
Fax: +63 2 929 3088
E-mail: nasserp@dar.gov.ph
6. Mrs. Esperanza I. Cabral
Secretary
Department of Social Welfare and Development
3/F DSWD Building, Batasang Pambansa Complex,
Constitution Hills
Quezon City
PHILIPPINES
Tel: +63 2 931 7916 / 931 8068
Fax: +63 2 931 8191
Email: eicabral@dswd.gov.ph
7. Mr. Ronaldo V. Puno
Secretary
Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG)
A. Francisco Gold Condominium II
EDSA cor. Mapagmahal St., Diliman
Quezon City
PHILIPPINES
Voice: +63 2 925 0330 / 31
Fax: +63 2 925 0332
Email: rvpuno@dilg.gov.ph
8. Mr. Philip Alston
Special Rapporteur on Extra-judicial, Summary, or Arbitrary Executions
Atten: Lydie Ventre
Room 3-016
OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Tel: +41 22 917 9155
Fax: +41 22 917 9006 (general)
9. Ms. Hina Jilani
Special Representative of the Secretary General for human rights defenders
Attn: Melinda Ching Simon
Room 1-040
OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Tel: +41 22 917 93 88
Fax: +41 22 917 9006 (ATTN: SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS)
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ahrchk@ahrchk.org)
