Februay 18, 2006

PNP ARRESTS AND TORTURES 11 BACKPACKERS

Exploring the mountains of the region and visiting the famous tourist destination, Sagada, Mt. Province, was a plan-come-true for eleven backpackers coming from different parts of the country who journeyed to the city with a plan to hitch hike their way to Sagada. Little did they know that their adventure would lead them to their most traumatic and tragic experience in life.

In a personal interview with the hitchhikers, they related that on February 14, 2006, while the eleven backpackers, one of them a woman, were hitching a ride in a dump truck along the Halsema Highway, they were stopped by members of the PNP Provincial Mobile Group and the PNP Regional Mobile Group who were in full battle gear, and who ordered them to alight from the vehicle while brandishing and pointing their long fire arms against them. Their nightmare has just begun. All their belongings were confiscated. Any movement from them, while they were lying face down on the side of the road, brought them punches, kicks from feet wearing combat shoes and smacks from the butts of M-14s and M-16s. One was even ordered to kiss with a dog brought by the PNP. They were thereafter brought to the 1604th camp where they were subjected to various forms of torture – they were hit on different parts of the body, including the genitals, gravely threatened to be killed, ordered to kneel on the ground under the heat of the sun, drowned in water, suffocated in plastic bags, thrown in dug outs deep enough to be human graves, made to stand in the nude in the middle of the night while really cold water are being poured on them and punches and kicks were being delivered to their bodies, and so many other forms of torture were done on them.

All the physical, emotional and mental torture done on them were primarily for the purpose of making them admit a crime which they never committed. Their torturers wanted them to admit that they were the ones who staged a raid on a military camp in Cabiten, Mankayan, Benguet on February 10, 2006. The New Peoples Army in press interviews and releases earlier admitted being responsible to the Cabiten raid. Due to the unbearable suffering they received, the eleven backpackers admitted all the charges against them. Finally, after more than a day of continuous torture, they were brought to the Benguet Provincial Jail where they are now presently detained. They were charged with Robbery with Homicide.

The eleven backpackers are:

1. Rundren Berloize G. Lao, Davao City
2. Anderson Tabocanon Alonzo, 18 yrs old, Malagos, Baguio
St., Purok 2, Calinan, Davao City
3. Aldoz Christian Manoza, 18 yrs old,, #2 Sampaloc St.,
Santolan, Pasig City
4. Ron Baquiran Pandino, 20 yrs old, Brgy. Mayatba, Siniloan,
Laguna
5. Ray Lester Esguerra Mendoza, 16 yrs old, Blk. 157 Lot 32
San Francisco St., Barangay Rizal, Makati City
6. Jethro Villagracia, 21 yrs old, Malagos, Baguio St., Purok 2
Calinan, Davao City
7. Neil Russel Sarmiento Balajadia, 25 yrs old, #026 Tawiran
St., Santolan Pasig City
8. Darwin Padilla Alagar, 21 yrs old, Brgy Tipuso, Urdaneta
City, Pangasinan
9. Arvie Molmog Nunez, 21 yrs old, Brgy Silangang Mayao,
Lucena City
10. Jefferson delacruz DeLaRosa, 20 yrs old, #211 A.M. De Leon
St., Santolan, Pasig City
11. Frencess Ann Galdonez Bernal, 15 yrs old, Camupang,
Marikina City

They are appealing to the authorities for justice and they are seeking the assistance of the media to inform their families and the Filipino nation of their unfortunate plight. As they stated in a letter addressed to the Benguet Governor and to the PNP Chief Gen. Arturo Lomibao, “This has been a tragic and traumatic experience for us. We no longer feel safe to travel anywhere in the country because the very persons whom we depend to support us are the very ones who would subject us to unbearable and unimaginable physical, mental and emotional torture. We are still suffering from this disastrous experience and at this time of distress, most of us cannot even contact our families because our cell phones were confiscated. We can only turn to you as a public officer while we are in this strange region where we don’t have our families and friends nearby.”

Reference:

Manja Bayang
Cordillera Human Rights Alliance
#10 Rimando Rd., Baguio City