Commission on Human Rights ADVISORY No. 2011-002

On November 14, 2011, the Commission on Human Rights issued this advisory exposing the numerous human rights violations committed by the elements of the 2nd Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army. Victims of these violations are the people of Guinobatan, Albay's fifteen upland villages.

However, it is resentful that a year following the issuance of this advisory, the 2nd IB continues to prowl the interior villages of Guinobatan, inherently causing torment and terror among the people, most recent of which is the brutal murder and beheading of Cabaloaon village councilman Ely M. Oguis.

All the more should the people of Guinobatan be steadfast in advancing their rights and interests. Solidarity should be gathered from all fronts, most especially from fellow Bicolanos equally assaulted by the monsters of the 9th Infantry Division masquerading themselves as Peace and Development Teams of the anti-people Oplan Bayanihan.

STATISTICS

STATISTICS OF KILLED DURING AQUINO ADMINISTRATION PER YEAR PER PROVINCE
As of November 2012
Prov/Year	Albay	Cam Norte	Cam Sur	Catanduanes	Masbate	Sorsogon	Total
2010	7		3		6		15
2011	2		7				9
2012	2	5				2	9
Total	11	5	10		6	2	34
STATISTICS OF COMBATANT & CIVILIANS KILLED DURING AQUINO'S ADMINISTRATION PER PROVINCE
As of November 2012
	Albay	Cam Norte	Cam Sur	Catanduanes	Masbate	Sorsogon	Total
Combatant_IHL Violation
Civilians	11	5	10		6	2	34
Total	11	5	10		6	2	34

	SECTOR	No. of victims
	peasant	18
	worker/semi-worker	1
	women	3
	children	3
	youth	2
	LG Officials	4
	Church workers
	Lawyers & other professionals
	Gov't Employees	1
	Media
	Hor de combat
	Bussinessman	2
	T O T A L	34

Isang Awit ng Protesta

OPLAN

Oplan, Oplan Bayanihan
hindi namin kailangan
ito'y isang patakaran
laban sa mamamayan

Paglabag sa karapatan
mamamayan pinahihirapan
anyo mo'y nahuhubaran
kawangis din ng nakaraang oplan

Huwag tayong palilinlang
Sa repormang pamamaraan
Susupilin ang mamamayan
ng pinalawig na nakaraang oplan

Engrandeng operasyon
sa kanayunan at kalunsuran
upang panatilihin
kasalukuyan patakaran

Gagamitin lahat ng paraan
upang magapi ang mamamayan
kanilang nasimulan
noon pa man

Habang tumitindi ang pagsasamantala
lalakas ang pag-aalsa
ng mamamayang inalipusta
para sa demokrasya

Tiyak na mabibigo
ang oplan na ito
lalaban tayo
di tayo susuko

Kaya't mamamayan
sabay-sabay na tanganan
ilantad sa taumbayan
pakana ng pamahalaan.

(Pakinggan)

Padagundungin ang Prubinsya ng Camarines Norte sa Protesta ng Mamamayan Laban sa Militarisasyon at mga Paglabag sa Karapatang Pantao! – Panawagan ng mga Progresibong Organisasyon sa Kabikolan

Press Statement

October 22, 2012

For reference: Maricel R. Delen,

                          KLMK Camarines Norte, 
                          09217917851 / 4401007

Ang KARAPATAN-Bikol at KARAPATAN-Camarines Norte, kaisa ang iba’t ibang organisasyon sa buong Rehiyon sa ilalim ng Kilusan Laban sa Militarisasyon sa Kabikolan, ay maigting sa pagpapanawagan ng pagkakaisa lalo na sa mamamayan ng prubinsya ng Camarines Norte sa papatinding militarisasyon at mga paglabag sa karapatang pantao na hatid nito.

Sa mahigit dalawang taong panunungkulan ni Benigno “Pnoy” Aquino III, tuloy-tuloy na naitatala ang papalalang mga kaso ng paglabag sa karapatang pantao sa buong bansa sa kumpas ng kontra-insurhensyang programa nito, ang Oplan Bayanihan (OPB). Sa 5 prubinsya ng Bicol, naitala ng KARAPATAN-Bikol ang 734 kaso ng mga paglabag mula Hulyo 2010 hanggang Hulyo 2012. At nangunguna ang Camarines Norte sa buong rehiyon sa may pinakaraming tala ng paglabag (38%)na tinatayang 2 kaso kada araw, sumunod ang Camarines Sur (26%), Masbate (8%) at panglima ang Sorsogon (5%).

Ang sanlaksang kaso ng mga paglabag sa prubinsya  ay hatid na nga ng implementasyon ng OPB, sa prente ng mga pangkaunlarang proyekto na pangunahing ipatutupad ng Armed Forces of the Philippines at ng pamprubinsyang gobyerno. Ang mga community peace and development teams (CPDTs) ay matatagpuan sa iba’t ibang barangay upang diumano’y ihatid ang kapayapaan at kaunlaran sa mga lugar na matindi ang kahirapan, sa basbas ng Gobernador ng prubinsya na si Edgardo Tallado na siya ring pinuno ng Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC). Pangunahin ang 49^th Infantry Battalion sa ilalim ng 9^th Infantry Division ng AFP, buhos lakas at pondo ang kanilang inilalaan sa prubinsya upang tugisin ang kanilang kalabang New People’s Army at mga taga-suporta nito. Ang resulta – ang 477 kaso ng paglabag sa karapatang pantao dahil sa pag-target ng militar sa mga di-armado o mga sibilyan sa kanilang operasyon sa iba’t ibang pamamaraan. Pinakamatingkad na dito ang pagmasaker sa pamilya Mancera noong Pebrero 25 at pagpaslang sa Punong Barangay ng Brgy. Malaya na si Kapitana Bermas na ikinasawi rin ng batang si Gerald Oreza. 

At bilang pinuno ng RPOC, malaki ang pananagutan ni Tallado sa pagresolba sa mga kasong ito subalit magpahanggang ngayon ay tila kasangga pa ng 49^th IB sa pagwasiwas ng karahasan sa prubinsya. Makailang beses na niyang binigo ang paghahanap ng hustisya ng mga kaanak ng mga biktima ng paglabag at nagpapatuloy na nakakalaya ang mga berdugong may kagagawan ng mga ito.

Kaya naman nararapat na kumilos at makilahok sa panawagan ng mga progresibong organisasyon sa Kabikolan sa  pagpapatigil sa militarisasyon at paghahanap ng hustisya para sa mga biktima ng karahasang militar. Bukas sa mga estudyante, kawani ng gobyerno, mala-manggagawa, magsasaka, taong simbahan, magkakabod, mangingisda, at sa iba pang mga sektor ang mga aktibidad ng Kilusan Laban sa Militarisasyon sa Kabikolan.###

Ngayong araw ay ilulunsad ang KAMPUHAN LABAN SA MILITARISASYON SA CAMARINES NORTE, na lalahukan ng mga organisasyon mula sa iba’t ibang prubinsya ng Kabikolan. Kakatampukan ito ng torch march  sa sentrong bayan ng prubinsya papunta sa luklukan ng gobernador at RPOC Chairman na si Tallado. At bukas, Oktubre 23, ay idudulog ng mga lider ng mga organisasyon ang usaping ito sa Sangguniang Panlalawigan ng Camarines Norte.

Beheaded councilman victim of systematic death campaign, says human rights group

Guinobatan, Albay. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

By Joey Natividad
Special Correspondent

LEGASPI CITY (BicolToday.com/18-Nov.-2012) – The brutal slay of a village councilman in Guinobatan, this province, was allegedly commited by state security forces to assassinate the victim “under a deceptive ploy of having been killed in a crossfire in an imagined encounter between Army soldiers and New People’s Army (NPA) rebels.”

This was the statement by human rights group, KARAPATAN, after concluding its own fact-finding investigation.

Councilman Ely Oguis of Cabaloaon village, Guinobatan town, dead and beheaded, was found by residents early morning of November 12, this year.

That early morning, residents heard several automatic gunfires that was fired by government soldiers for at least one minute near the area where the beheaded body of Councilman Oguis was discovered later. The gunfires were made to appear that “an encounter between Army soldiers and rebels occurred near the area where the dead councilman was found.”

KARAPATAN spokesman Vince Casilihan. informed BicolToday.com that the killing of Oguis was part of a systematic campaign allegedly done by state forces to eliminate leaders of progressive organizations.

The human rights group said Oguis was a member of Albay People’s Organization, a peasant human rights group that is actively campaigning against militarization of mountain villages and launching protests againsts forms of abuses committed by government soldiers.

“Oguis was already target of harassment before, and that on August 21, last year, he sought the help of KARAPATAN after he was harassed by the military several times, and that he was being coerced to admit that he had links with the rebels.” said Casilihan.

The rights group identified the government’s 2nd Infantry Batallion which has jurisdiction over the area where the councilman was found dead as “responsible for the murder”.

KARAPATAN has been documenting and investigation cases of human rights abuses, mostly committed by state forces, for legal action and presentation before the international community of human rights advocates and organizations.

The Philippines has already acquired a negative rating before the international community for the increasing number of human rights violations and abuses committed by state security forces in its campaign to end the 40-year old internal conflict.[BicolToday.com]

Albay councilman shot, beheaded by suspected soldiers

 PUBLISHED ON NOVEMBER 16, 2012

 One military unit claimed that councilman Ely M. Oguis, 60, was killed in an encounter between soldiers and NPA guerrillas; another military spokesman said he was a NPA tax collector who was killed by his comrades for not remitting his collections; while another said he was killed by the NPA for not paying taxes. But one thing is for sure, he was last seen drinking with a fellow councilman and two soldiers the night before he was killed.

By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO and RONALYN V. OLEA
Bulatlat.com

MANILA — A village councilman in Guinobatan, Albay province was found beheaded, November 12. According to reports from the Karapatan chapter in Bicol, the councilman, 60-year-old Ely M. Oguis, was accused of being a tax collector of the New People’s Army (NPA) by the Philippine Army and was shot and decapitated.

Oguis, 60, was a member of the Albay People’s Organization.

Early on the morning of November 11, Oguis left his house to report for duty as village councilor at Cabaloaon village. He stayed at the village from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., but did not immediately go home afterwards. Witnesses said that Oguis, as his practice, made social calls at the homes of various neighbors and other village residents after work.

Later that evening, he met with fellow village councilor Juanito Sumaupan, and neighbor Rodrigo Mirabite for a drink. Eventually, they were joined by the detachment commander of the 2nd Infantry Battalion Cpl. Gilbert Ramos and another soldier known only as “Patoy.”

Sumaupan said they drank a few bottles of beer before they moved to another store, this time owned by the victim’s daughter, Marlyn. The two soldiers left past 10 p.m., and Oguis followed some 30 minutes after.

Based on reports gathered by Karapatan Bicol, at around 11p.m., some of the residents heard gunfire. Sumaupan went back to Marlyn’s house, who is also a neighbor, to ask if she knew if her father had arrived home safely. Marlyn, in turn, called a sibling living in their parents’ house. She was told that Oguis had not returned. Not suspecting anything, Sumaupan returned home.

At 1:00 a.m. the following morning, November 12, another village councilor Minda Sumaupan, with three others were returning home from a wake in another village. When they reached Palapbuton subvillage, Cabaloaon, the group’s flashlight shone upon a person lying along the road. At first, the group thought the person was asleep in a drunken stupor. They were shocked when, after coming closer to the person, they found the body with no head.

The body of Ely Oguis at the funeral parlor.(Photo courtesy of Karapatan-Bicol / bulatlat.com)

They immediately informed the village chief. Because of the darkness, the village captain decided to wait for daylight before investigating. At around 5 a.m., village officers examined the body. They found the decapitated head more than a meter away from the body, almost buried in mud, and identified it as Oguis. The ears had been hacked off.
The victim’s wife, Nila, and other family members were immediately informed. The body was taken to a funeral parlor in Guinobatan town proper for autopsy.

Initial information gathered by Karapatan-Bicol revealed that Oguis sustained five gunshot wounds in the chest causing severe damage to the lungs and heart. The decapitated head also bore signs of being hit with a hard object.

In the meantime, units of the Armed Forces of the Philippines have already released statements, each one in conflict with the others.

On Nov. 12, Major Narzan Obuyes, spokesman of the 2nd Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army, said that an encounter between the NPA and the military occurred at the military detachment in Cabaloaon village. Col. Ricardo Visaya, commanding officer of the 901st Brigade based in Daraga, Albay, said that Oguis was an NPA tax collector and may have been killed by the NPA as punishment for not remitting collections.

Another military spokesman, Maj. Angelo Guzman of the 9th Infantry Division said that Oguis was a small-scale coconut plantation owner and that he was killed by the NPA for not paying taxes.

The National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) in Bicol, however, has already issued its own statement, saying that there was neither NPA presence in the village nor an encounter.

In a statement sent to Bulatlat.com, Vince Casilihan, spokesman of Karapatan-Bicol and among those who conducted an independent investigation of the incident, quoted the residents as saying that they never heard any firefight. The gunshots did not last for even a minute, Casihilan said.

“The military is lying to cover up for their heinous crime,” Casihilan said. “They are the only ones who have the motive to kill Oguis.”

The heavy deployment of soldiers in Guinobatan, Albay began in July 2011. The 2nd IBPA arrived in 11 villages, including Cabaloaon. The soldiers first used the village hall as their headquarters before forcing the residents to set up their detachment in the village center. It is still, however, right near the village hall.

Karapatan-Bicol has previously documented several incidents of the military issuing threats and harassing residents, among them Oguis.

On August 21, 2011, soldiers known only as Ontolan and Amolar invited Oguis to their detachment. In a sworn statement, a copy of which was sent to Bulatlat.com through email, the councilman said the two soldiers accused him of being a member of the NPA, and told him to leave the group. Oguis vehemently denied the accusations and asserted that he was only a village councilor.

In the same affidavit, Oguis related that sometime in August of the same year, the military ordered the residents to bring bamboo and other materials for their headquarters. Oguis said that out of fear, the residents obeyed and built the structure without any payment.

Karapatan-Bicol noted that the military also did the same to Bayan Muna member Rodel Estrellado.

On February 25, 2011, Estrellado was walking home from a local market in village 3, Malilipot, Albay, after buying food for his family. According to witnesses, at around 9 a.m., around four men who introduced themselves as members of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) accosted Estrellado and forced him inside a gray car with plate number MXN 902.

It was found out later that three hours before Estrellado’s abduction at 6 a.m., the spokesman of the 9th Infantry Division Maj. Harold Cabunoc issued a statement that an alleged member of the NPA named Elmer Estrollado was killed in an armed encounter in the village of Buluang, Bato, Camarines Sur.

Also on the same day at 1:25 p.m., a certain Major Danilo Ambe and 2nd Lt. Maribel Donilla based in Mabaludbalud, Tigaon, Camarines Sur filed a blotter report at the PNP Bato that they conducted a strike operation in Buluang, Bato that resulted in the death of one Elmer Estrellado.

Two days after Estrellado’s abduction, February 27, Estrellado’s family decided to go to a funeral parlor where they heard an “Elmer Estrellado” had been taken. They had previously looking for Rodel in various army camps, but the military denied having him in custody.

In the funeral parlor, the family found their loved one’s body under the name “Elmer Estrellado.”

Casihilan said the killing of Oguis is part of the implementation of the Aquino administration’s counterinsurgency program Oplan Bayanihan. “The state forces who present themselves as Community Peace and Development Team (CPDT) are no different from the bloody Special operations teams of Arroyo’s Oplan Bantal Laya I and II. 

MILITAR MAY MALAKING MOTIBO UPANG BRUTAL NA PASLANGIN SI BARANGAY KAGAWAD ELY OGUIS

15 Nobyembre 2012                                                                                                                   Reference:Vince Casilihan

Naglulubid ng kasinungalingan ang mga sundalo sa ilalim ng 2^nd Infantry Battalion sa pagpaslang kay Kgd. Ely Oguis upang lituhin ang mga mamamayan at pagtakpan ang kanilang ginawang krimen.

Pareho ang istilo ng pagpapalabas ng pahayag ng mga militar sa pagpugot sa ulo kay Kgd. Ely Oguis at kay Rodel Estrellado upang maghugas kamay sa kanilang pagpatay sa mga miyembro sibilyan at progresibong grupo.  Gumawa  sila ng moro-morong enkwentro upang palabasing nadamay sa labanan ang biktima.  Pero ang totoo sila-sila lang naman  ang nagpaputok.

Bahagi ito ng sistemtikong pamamaraan ng mga sundalo at mga ahente ng gobyerno upang maghasik ng takot sa mga mamamyan. Target nila ang mga progresibo  at militanteng lider masa na lumalahok sa pagkilos para sa kumprehensibong pagbabago sa lipuang Pilipino.  Si Kgd. Ely Oguis ay isang human rights advocate at kasapi ng  ng human rights organization ng mga pesante – ang Albay People’s  Organization (APO) na aktibong kumukontra sa malaganap na militarisasyon sa kanayunan at patuloy na paglabag sa karaptang pantao na kinasasangkutan ng mga  elemento ng tropang militar na nakahimpil sa Brgy. Cabaloaon at mga karatig pook.  Ang kanyang pagiging aktibong human rights advocate ang dahilan ng karumaldumal na pagpatay.  Hindi maitatatwa na ang pagpaslang kay Kgd. Ely Oguis ay isa na namang kaso ng extra-judicial killing (EJK) sangkot ang state security forces.

Hindi na bago ang ganitong pamamaraan ng militar sa paghahasik ng sindak sa kanayunan. Matatandaan na noong panahon ng Rehimeng Cory Aquino  ganito  rin ang ginagawa ng mga sundalo. Binuo nila ang mga grupong para-militar at Vigilante Group tulad ng Tadtad na nasangkot sa pamumugot ng ulo ng mga sibilyan at mga miyembro ng progresibong grupo upang maghasik ng takot sa mga mamamayan. 

Mapanlinlang ang mga pahayag ng mga  sundalo ng 2^nd IB PA tungkol sa pagkakapatay kay Kgd. Ely Oguis sa layuning lituhin ang publiko. Ayon mismo sa isinagawang imbestigasyon ng Karapatan Bikol,  wala namang nangyaring putukan sa detatchment kung saan iniulat   ng mga sundalo na may nangyaring labanan. Ang narinig ng mga tagabarangay ay mga putok ng baril na hindi nga umabot ng isang minuto  mula sa kinakitaan ng pugot na bangkay ni Kgd Ely Oguis.

Sa panayam sa mga   taga Brgy Cabaloaon  nakausap ng Karaptan-Bikol, , hindi alas 7:00 o 6:30 ng umaga nakita ang bangkay ni Kgd Ely Oguis gaya  ng naunang pahayag ng mga sundalo. Nakita na ito ng mga taga barangay na galing  sa lamay sa barangay Bat-Bat mga bandang ala 1:00 ng madaling araw,ng Nobyembre 12, 2012  kaya madaling napaabutan ang pamilya.

Noon pa man si Kgd Ely Oguis ay ilang beses na  pinatawag ng mga sundalo at pinararatangang miyembro ng NPA. Noong ngang Agosto 21, 2011 humingi siya ng tulong sa Karapatan-Bikol dahil dito. Sa  katunayan ay may sinumpaang salaysay pa itong pinirmahan.

Sa magkagayon baga’y ang tropang  militar ng 2^nd IB PA ang may matingkad na motibo para gawin ang napaka brutal na pagpatay kay Kagawad Ely nakadeploy sa Bgry. Cabaloaon, Guinobatan, Albay.  Ang paghahasik ng “puting lagim”  ay bahagi lamang ng implemtasyon ng programang kontra-inushensya ng ng mga nagdaang rehimen at maging ng Oplan Bayanihan(OPB) ng kasalukyang Rehimeng US-Aquino. Ang karahasang militar ay pilit nilang itinatago sa pamamagitan ng  Community Peace and Development Team (CPDT) na wala namang pagkakaiba sa tigmak-dugong Special operations teams (SOT) ng Oplan Bantal Laya I & II ng rehimeng US-Arroyo.

Ang kamatayan ni Kagawad Ely ay  lalong magpapaalab sa damdamin at diwa ang mga mamamayan na ipaglaban ang karapatang pantao at  mabigyang katarungan ang brutal na pagpatay sa kanya at sa iba pang biktima na hanggang ngayon ay walang hustisya.###