PHILIPPINES: Soldiers allegedly spied on and vilified student activists in two Manila universities

Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes with deep concern regarding the alleged spying on and harassment of student activists and campus journalists in two universities in Metro Manila by soldiers. The soldiers covertly took photographs and video recordings of them when they enter the campus to hold meetings on the pretext of counter insurgency. The students’ groups were also vilified as “terrorist fronts” and “enemies of the state” by the soldiers. The AHRC is concerned that this continuing practice by soldiers exposes students to unnecessary risks.

CASE DETAILS: (Based on the information from TANGGULAN Youth Network for Human Rights and Civil Liberties)

On 5 March 2007 soldiers attached to the Civil Military Operations (CMO) Battalion, Philippine Army, led by Captain Orbes, held a forum on the pretext of counter insurgency with students at the Philippine Normal University (PNU) in Taft Avenue, Manila. Captain Orbes is the CMO’s operations officer.

The day they held the forum, soldiers carrying M-16 Armalite rifles, wearing military uniforms, were seen walking around the campus and their presence has caused concern to some students. While the soldiers were patrolling with firearms they harassed and intimidated students. For instance, they took photographs and video recordings, particularly of student activists and campus journalists without properly informing them as to why they were doing so.

The students whose photographs and video recordings were taken were: Eleanor de Guzman, national chairperson for Anakbayan; Joanna Rose Adenit, chairperson for Gabriela Youth; Ralph Malacad, editor for the university’s official student English publication, the Torch Publications; Ali Tapar, chairperson for Student Christian Movement (SCMP) in PNU; Julie Ann Tapid, writer for the Torch; Joseph Ancajas, member of the university’s student government body, and Joyce Caubat, chairperson for Anakbayan in PNU chapter.

One of the speakers at the forum, 2nd Lieutenant Bryan Lim, openly accused several student organizations of being “Communist terrorist fronts” and singled out Anakbayan, SCMP, League of Filipino students (LFS), College Editors’ Guild of the Philippines (CEGP), National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP). Lim was the team leader of soldiers stationed at the village hall of Barangay (village) 591 in Sta. Mesa, Manila located close to the university.

Lim and other soldiers joining the forum discouraged the students from joining the said groups whom they accused of being “anti-family and anti-God”. The organizations the soldiers had vilified are national student organizations known to the academe sector with chapters widely spread all over the country. These groups are actively involved in advocating social issues and the welfare of students; for instance, tuition fee increases, extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearance, amongst others.

One week before the meeting, the university’s Office of Student Affairs and Services (OSASS) received a letter from Major Obera, CMO’s Battalion commander, supposedly justifying the soldier’s purpose of conducting the forum. Major Obera writes that it would serve as venue for “The awareness program regarding the infiltration of the Communist Party of the Philippines, the New Peoples Army and the National Democratic Front (CPP/NPA/NDF) in Metro Manila” in the academe.

Obera further writes that “nowadays, there are many of [our] youth being recruited by these front organizations supported by CPP/NPA/NDF. There is an aggressive recruitment here in Metro Manila especially in the student sector. The purpose of this program is to let the youth, especially the students, become aware and inform them of these issues particularly on CPP/NPA infiltration. Through this awareness program we can prevent them from joining any organizations supported by the communist terrorists“.

In another incident on February 20, soldiers were also caught covertly spying on the activities of students in other university campuses. When students at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) in Sta. Mesa, Manila were holding peaceful protest at 2:00pm inside their campus, two persons were seen apparently taking photographs and video recording of those students giving speeches. Suspicious of what they were doing, they confronted them. Only then they came to know that the two, identified as Salve Romel Lao and Chardene Lalapus, are soldiers attached to the CMO battalion. They were not in military uniform when caught by students joining the protest action. They were taken to the university’s security office. There were complaints of harassment filed against them but there is no known progress on them.

In this incident, they allegedly spied on: Alain Mark Zamora, chairperson for LFS in PUP; Rogelio Data Jr., chairperson for Center for Nationalist Studies; Reynante Czar, chairperson for Anakbayan in PUP; Jean Claire Tanilong, chairperson for SCMP; and her vice chairperson, Carla Braceros. They were among those who had given speeches at the protest action.

In April, a complaint was filed against the soldiers involved before the office of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) in Manila. They held a hearing once but there has not been any substantial progress since then. The soldiers involved were only reminded by the university administration, but there has not been any sanctions taken against them so far.

The soldier’s entry into the campus violates the existing memorandum of agreement between the university administration and the government’s security forces prohibiting them from entering the campus without the permission from the university. Freedom of assembly and expression should be guaranteed from any interference.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Since these incidents took place, the students mentioned already fear that the photographs and video recordings taken from them could be used by the soldiers to target them on pretext of counter-insurgency campaigns. It is public knowledge that security forces keep profiles and dossiers of activist, particularly leaders and active members. The groups where these students are attached have also already been listed as “enemies of the State” by the security forces.

On July 11, around 100 soldiers were redeployed in key urban poor communities. This includes the communities close to these universities. However, when the midterm election was held on May 14 they were pulled out over concerns their presence in urban areas would be exploited for electioneering or intervening in the process of elections, particularly on election campaigns by candidates and political parties.

The soldier’s deployment in urban areas, particularly attached to the Civil-Military Operations (CMO) Battalion of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), began in 27 November 2006 spread over 27 slum areas. The government justifies their deployment on pretext of “civic actions”; however, later the activities they were doing in these areas eventually contradicted to what they are supposed to do.

When soldiers were first deployed in November 2006, they were heavily armed and were seen on foot patrol around the urban communities visiting houses one after the other. Some residents express alarm by the soldier’s presence in their communities while other residents reported alleged harassment by soldiers. The soldier’s had also expanded their activities; now, in schools and universities.

SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write letters to the authorities requesting them to conduct an inquiry into the continuing practice by soldiers allegedly vilifying student activists and journalist. They should be held accountable for their actions. Similar practices must also not be tolerated. The students and campus journalist must be allowed to exercise their academic freedom and assembly.

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