Dear friends,
Further to our previous appeal (UA-34-2005) regarding the killings of human rights defenders and workers in Hacienda Luisita, Tarlac, Philippines, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from the Promotion of Church People’s Response (PCPR) about another killing of a priest who supported workers on strike in Hacienda Luisita.
Fr. William Tadena of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI) is the tenth victim to be killed since the bloody crackdown by the police and military on the workers demanding their rights on 16 November 2004. Fr. Tadena’s killing occurred 13 March 2005 just nine days after the murder of Abelardo Ladera, Tarlac City Councilor and vocal supporter of the striking workers.
Your urgent action is required to pressure the Government of Philippines to intervene and stop the ongoing killings and harassment of the workers in Hacienda Luisita. Please ask the local authorities to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators who were involved in the killings of Fr. Tadena, Councilor Ladera and Marcing Beltran. Please also urge them to provide immediate protection to the workers and human rights defenders who are supporting the workers’ strike.
Urgent Appeals Desk
AHRC Urgent Appeals Programme
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DETAILED INFORMATION:
Name of the victim/s:
Killed: Fr. William Tadena (37), a priest of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI) and a human rights defender
Wounded: Carlos Barsolaso (38) and Charlie Gabriel (24)
Date of the incident: 13 March 2004
Place of the incident: IFI church, Brgy. Guevarra, La Paz, Tarlac
Alleged perpetrators: two unidentified men
Fr. William Tadena (37), a priest of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI), was shot dead by two unidentified armed men who were riding on a motorcycle in IFI church, Brgy. Guevarra, La Paz, Tarlac on 13 March 2005. Fr. Tadena died of multiple gun shot wounds on his head and torso. He was in a jeep with his three companions at the time of the incident. Two of them, Carlos Barsolaso (38) and Charlie Gabriel (24), were wounded. Barsolaso was hit on the head by a bullet and is in critical condition while Gabriel was inquired on his right leg. The third companion, Ervina Domingo (20), was unharmed. According to the victims, they were attacked by gunmen on their way home to Victoria town after finishing a mass at a plaza in Barangay Guevarra.
Fr. William Tadena of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI) is the tenth victim to be killed since the bloody crackdown by the police and military on the workers demanding their rights on 16 November 2004. Fr. Tadena’s killing occurred just nine days after the murder of Abelardo Ladera, Tarlac City Councilor and outspoken supporter of the striking workers in Hacienda Luisita, on 4 March 2005. On 8 December 2004, a farm workers’ leader, Marcing Beltran, was also assassinated.
The AHRC is deeply concerned by the ongoing killings and harassment against the workers in Hacienda Luisita and human rights defenders who are fighting for their labour and land rights. We strongly urge the Government of Philippines to take immediate action to prevent further killings related to this matter and provide urgent protection to the workers and concerned human rights defenders. The AHRC particularly urges the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) and Philippine National Police (PNP) to immediately take action by conducting a thorough and impartial investigation in this matter. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), in particular the Northern Luzon Command (NolCom), must be investigated by independent government agency to find whether they had any involvement in these cases.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
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SAMPLE LETTER
Dear ______________,
Re: PHILIPPINES: Priest supporting for the Hacienda Luisita farm workers in La Paz, Tarlac killed and two others wounded
Name of the Victim/s:
Killed: Fr. William Tadena (37), a priest of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI) and a human rights defender
Wounded: Carlos Barsolaso (38) and Charlie Gabriel (24)
Date of the incident: 13 March 2004
Place of the incident: IFI Church, Brgy. Guevarra, La Paz, Tarlac
Alleged perpetrators: two unidentified men
I am writing to bring to your attention on the killing of Fr. William Tadena who supported workers on strike in Hacienda Luisita, Tarlac. He is the tenth victim to be killed since the bloody crackdown by the police and military on the workers demanding their rights on 16 November 2004. The killing of Fr. Tadena is yet another threat to the workers who are fighting for their rights and land ownership in Hacienda Luisita, Tarlac.
The killing of Tadena is another blow to peoples’ enjoyment of the rights in a democratic country ‘not to be deprived of life, liberty or property without the due process of law, nor shall any person be denied the equal protection of laws’ as provided in the 1987 Philippine Constitution, Article III.
I urge you to order an immediate and impartial investigation into this incident, including the killings of Councilor Abelardo Ladera and Marcing Beltran who were earlier killed related to this matter. I also urge you to use your authority to ensure the identification, arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators without delay. Appropriate protection must be provided to the workers and human rights defenders working for the workers’ rights in order to prevent further killing and violence against them.
Further I urge you to provide medical assistance and protection to Carlos Barsolaso (38), Charlie Gabriel (24) and Ervina Domingo (20), who are the witnesses of the incident. Providing a venue for a dialogue among the striking workers and the owners of Hacienda Luisita for an immediate settlement of the conflict will also be useful in preventing further violence and protecting the rights of the workers.
Respectfully yours,
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SEND A LETTER TO:
1. Hon. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
President
Malacanang Palace
J.P. Laurel St., San Miguel
Manila, NCR 1005
PHILIPPINES
Fax: +63 2929 3968
2. Hon. Purificacion Quisumbing
Commissioner
Commission on Human Rights
SAAC Bldg., Commonwealth Avenue
U.P. Complex, Diliman, Quezon City
PHILIPPINES
Fax: +63 2929 0101/928 0848
Email: drpvq@chr.gov.ph
3. Hon. Avelino J. Cruz Jr.
Secretary, Department of National Defense
Room 301 DND Bldg.,
Camp Emilio Aguinaldo
E. de los Santos Avenue, Quezon City
PHILIPPINES
Fax: +63 2911 6213
Email: osnd@philonline.com
4. 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
5. Atty. Jasmin N. Regino
Regional Director
Commission on Human Rights (CHR III)
3/F, Kehyeng Bldg.,
Mc Arthur Highway, Dolores
San Fernando, Pampanga
Philippines
Tel: +63 45 961 4830/ 963 5311
Telefax: +63 45 961 4475
6. Ms. Hina Jilani
Special Representative of the Secretary General for human rights defenders
Att: Ben Majekodunmi
Room 1-040, c/o OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Tel: +41 22 917 93 88
Fax: +41 22 917 9006
E-mail: bmajekodunmi@ohchr.org
7. Mr. Philip Alston
Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary, or Arbitrary Executions
Atten: Lydie Ventre
Room 3-016, c/o OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Tel: +41 22 917 9155
Fax: +41 22 917 9006 (general)
E-mail: urgent-action@ohchr.org
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Desk
AHRC Urgent Appeals Programme