PHILIPPINES: Abduction and disappearance of two more activists 

Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you of the abduction and subsequent disappearance of two more activists in separate incidents on 8 and 16 May 2006. Activist Philip Limjoco was last seen on May 8 by his son Glen at a bus terminal in Dau, Pampanga. On May 16 activist Roland Porter was riding his bike from his home to a store along Sacramento corner San Rafael Streets in Barangay (village) Olympia, Makati City when several unidentified men in a van forcibly abducted him.

According to a report from Karapatan (Alliance for the Advancement of Peoples’ Rights), on May 6 Philip’s son Glen visited him in Dau, Pampanga. They together went to visit some of Philip’s friends in the same place.

On May 8, Glen was leaving for Manila so Philip took him to the bus terminal. While on their way to the bus terminal, Glen noticed that a white Toyota Revo was following their car. The windows of the car tailing them were heavily tinted and the number plate was covered with dark fiberglass. When they arrived at the terminal the car tailing them disappeared.

At around 8:20am Philip and Glen parted ways. By 9:30am, Glen reached Manila. He then sent a text message to his father informing him that he had arrived safely. Glen did not receive a reply. At around 10:30am, Glen sent a text message to his father again and tried to call his mobile phone at around 11am but no one was answering the phone.

Glen first thought that his father might be driving his car or busy doing other things as an explanation as to why he did not answer his phone. But when Glen failed to get any response at around 5pm he began to worry. Glen then asked some of his relatives if his father contacted them or if they knew of his whereabouts; but they did not.

On May 9, Glen sought the help of Karapatan-National Office to help him locate his father. Prior to this incident, in July 2005 Glen had also sought the help of Karapatan after he noticed unidentified men following him wherever he went. Glen had no idea as to why he was being followed, except that his father was being suspected as a member of the New People’s Army (NPA).

Glen fears for his father’s life and safety as he was included on the list of 51 individuals being charged with rebellion by the Department of Justice (DoJ).  The list was reported to have been drawn up by the Directorate and Investigation and Detective Management (DIDM) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) on February 27; after the country was placed under a state of national emergency on February 24.  Philip was placed 23rd on the list.

Glen said that his father used to tell him that during martial law, his father’s name was also included on the list of “subversives” used by the defunct Philippine Constabulary (PC) to arrest people critical of the Marcos regime.  Philip was twice arrested during martial law, brutally tortured and was illegally detained. It is reported that the military and police are again hunting down people whose names appeared on this present list.

In another incident, at around 12:00noon on May 16, activist Roland Porter was riding his bicycle from his home towards a nearby store along Sacramento corner San Rafael Streets in Barangay (village) Olympia, Makati City, Metro Manila. He was supposed to have his mobile phone reloaded when several unidentified men in a white utility van (L300 FB) approached and forcibly took him away.

Although a witness was unable to read the name written on the identification card (ID) flashed by one of the perpetrators, they said that the ID had the word ‘Police” printed on it.

Another witness to the abduction narrated that when Roland was riding his bicycle to the store, a tricycle was following him. A man wearing a fatigue-colored shirt was on board this tricycle and was noticed sending text messages as well. It is reported he may have been giving signals to the driver of the van that the perpetrators were riding in.

The whereabouts of Roland and Philip remain unknown to date.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

The AHRC has reported a number of activists who have been forcibly abducted and subsequently disappeared. Most of the disappeared victims have not been located while some were found dead only days after they went missing.

Take the case of 19-year-old activist Audie Lucero. He was found dead in Abucay, Bataan on 13 February 2006. He was last seen talking to some police and military personnel before he went missing and was found dead the following day (UA-078-2006).

Those who were abducted and whose whereabouts remain unknown are activist Ronald Intal of Tarlac, Tarlac (UA-127-2006); Dario Almonte of Batangas (UA-124-2006); Joey Estriber of Baler, Quezon (UP-048-2006); labour leader Rogelio Concepcion of San Ildefonso, Bulacan (UA-087-2006) and Francis Noel Desacula of Batangas (UA-042-2006).

In Ronal Intal’s case, even though his wife had updated information—detailing the names of the alleged perpetrators—which would identify those who abducted her husband, the police authorities did not investigate the information she had. Their effort to locate the victim’s whereabouts was also insufficient. Intal’s wife, who was five months pregnant at the time of incident, has also not been afforded assistance by the authorities.

The experience suffered by Intal’s wife was also similar to the wife of disappeared victim Rogelio Concepcion, Marissa. It is reported that after her husband’s disappearance, she and her family experienced intimidation by forces allegedly connected to the military. She noticed that their house was being spied on. They continue to fear for their safety. Despite the risk she and her family are facing, they have not been afforded appropriate government-sponsored security and protection.

In the Philippines, the offense of involuntary and enforced disappearance is not yet a crime, thereby making it extremely difficult for the victims’ families and denying them the possibility to seek appropriate remedies. Once disappearance cases are reported, in most instances the families of the disappeared are being confronted with difficulties, among which is where they will seek assistance to locate their loved ones.

SUGGESTED ACTION:

Please send letters to the concerned agencies listed below requesting their intervention to exhaust all means to locate the whereabouts of Philip Limjoco and Roland Porter. They must closely coordinate with the families of the disappeared and afford them appropriate assistance as required. Also, please request the concerned authorities to release their findings regarding other cases of disappearances reported to them.

 

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