Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you that a peasant leader of the Kapunungan sa mga Mag-uuma sa Surigao Sur (KAMASS) (Organization of Peasants in Surigao Sur) has been killed by unidentified gunmen while he was asleep in his house at Purok Brotherhood, Barangay Unidad, Cagwait, Surigao del Sur. The victims name is Mr. Melanio Evangelista (43). He was married with six children.
One month before the incident, Nora Evangelista, wife of Melanio, noticed motorcycle-riding men constantly passing and seemingly observing them near their house. She believed the men to be intelligence agents of the military. Although slightly alarmed, she and her family did not pay much attention to the incidents as they had no enemies.
Nora and her husband Melanio are active leaders of KAMASS and are constant participants in its activities in their municipality. Nora is a municipal council member of KAMASS. A few weeks before the incident, they saw one of the motorcycle-riding men destroying and burning KAMASS posters. There were also rumors that the 58th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army had said they will “break up” KAMASS.
On February 17, 2006 at around 11:45pm, while Melanio slept, Nora heard voices from outside their house calling the name of her husband, requesting him to go outside. Going down to where the voices were coming from, Nora proceeded to tell them that Melanio was already asleep. She also asked the persons to show themselves so she could see their faces. She then heard noises at the back of the house. Nora immediately went back to where her husband was sleeping and saw a man whose face was covered with a handkerchief, shooting at Melanio. After shooting Melanio, the man immediately went outside and rode away on a waiting motorcycle.
Melanio was shot once at the left side of his head, the bullet entering the right side of his neck and exiting from his right shoulder.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write letters to concerned government agencies, in particular the Commission of Human Rights (CHR) to commence an investigation to unveil the identities of those responsible in Mr. Melanios killing and bring them to trial to ensure that justice is attained for the family of the victim. The security of the family of the victim must be ensured once the investigation commences.
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SAMPLE LETTER
Dear __________,
PHILIPPINES: Peasant leader killed while sleeping at his house in Surigao del Sur, Mindanao
Name of the victim killed: Mr. Melanio Evangelista (43), a peasant, married with six children and a resident of Purok Brotherhood, Barangay Unidad, Cagwait, Surigao del Sur
Alleged perpetrators: unidentified armed men
Date of incidents: 17 February 2006
Place of incident: Purok Brotherhood, Barangay Unidad, Cagwait, Surigao del Sur
I am writing to draw your attention to the killing of Melanio Evangelista, a leader of the Kapunungan sa mga Mag-uuma sa Surigao Sur (KAMASS) by unidentified gunmen while he was asleep at his home.
According to the information I have received, one month prior to the incident, in January 2006, Melanios wife, Mrs. Nora Evangelista, noticed some motorcycle-riding men constantly passing and seemingly observing them near their house. She believed the men to be agents of the military. They were not worried seriously as the family had no enemies. Mrs. Nora witnessed the motorbike-riders removing and burning the posters of KAMASS a few weeks before her husband was shot.
On February 17, 2006 at around 11.45pm, Mrs. Nora heard someone calling her husbands name and asking him go outside the home. She went out and told them that her husband was sleeping. Suddenly, Nora heard some noise at the back of her house. When she rushed there, she found a person shooting her husband, who died on the spot. The person was masked and left the place immediately after shooting, riding away on a motorbike.
I have been informed that there has been talk by the 58th infantry battalion vowing to break up KAMASS in the country.
I therefore urge the concerned government agencies to commence an impartial investigation into the killing of Melanio in order to identify the alleged perpetrators. The allegation against the possible involvement by military agent should likewise be investigated. Appropriate charges should be filed against those found to have been involved in the killing.
I trust that you will take immediate action on this matter.
Yours sincerely,
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SEND LETTERS TO:
1. 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@chr.gov.ph
2.P/DIR Gen. Arturo Lumibao
Chief, Philippine National Police (PNP)
Camp Crame
Quezon City
PHILIPPINES
Tel: +63 2726 4361/4366/8763
Fax: +63 2724 8763
3. Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
President
Republic of the Philippines
Malacanang Palace
JP Laurel Street, San Miguel
Manila 1005
PHILIPPINES
Tel: +63 2 735 6201 / 564 1451 to 80
Fax: +63 2 736 1010
4. Mr. Orlando Casimiro
Deputy Ombudsman
Office of the Deputy Ombudsman for the Military and
Other Law Enforcement Offices
3rd Floor, Ombudsman Bldg., Agham Road, Diliman (1104)
Quezon City
PHILIPPINES
Tel: +632 926 9032
Fax: +63 2 926-8747
5. Mr. Philip Alston
Special Rapporteur on Extra-judicial, Summary, or Arbitrary Executions
Attn: Lydie Ventre
Room 3-016, c/o OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Tel: +41 22 917 9155
Fax: +41 22 917 9006 (general)
Email: lventre@ohchr.org
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme (ua@ahrchk.org)
Asian Human Rights Commission (ahrchk@ahrchk.org)
