Hustisya Unity Statement: '0 Day of Wrath, 0 Day of Mourning'

September 11: A day to remember what terrorism means

A Statement of Concern by the University Council of the University of the Philippines Baguio: END ABDUCTIONS AND POLITICAL KILLINGS

Statement from the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues Chairperson

Last week, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in coordination with the Task Force Bulanao investigating the Claver ambush filed a case against PO3 Gerry Caranto who matched one of the suspects identified through witnesses' accounts and described through a cartographic sketch.

The families of the victims of human rights violations and human rights advocates welcome this development. This is a logical advance in the investigation given that last August, no less than Philippine National Police (PNP) PRO-CAR Gonzales admitted in a statement to the media that the motive behind the ambush is political, partially validating the opinions forwarded earlier by the family, Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) and Cordillera Human Rights Alliance (CHRA) on who and why the ambush was conducted. Caranto is the personal driver of former P.D. Ramos. This development strongly links him to the crime.

Last Friday, Caranto allegedly presented himself at the PNP National Headquarters at Camp Crame last September 27 denying that he had a hand in the ambush. Former P.D. Ramos also issued a statement in defense of Caranto stating that his driver was with him at the Provincial Police Office when the Claver ambush took place. This they have to prove in court.

While hearings have not been conducted yet, the following acts of retaliation against the witnesses and the community in Kalinga were reported:

Chief Insp. Rolando Osias of the CIDG-Kalinga and the OIC of Task Force Bulanao and his three men were disarmed and detained by a joint team of the Tabuk police and the Regional Mobile Group influenced by Ramos for nine hours last Friday, September 29.

Ramos, together with PNP Tabuk Chief Dumallig and a certain person identified as Adaul set up and conducted a checkpoint in front of the St. Anthony Church in Tabuk, Kalinga last September 30. This is located near the crime scene.

It was also reported that unidentified men visited a witness to the ambush intending to intimidate the person.

The CHRA is severely outraged by these reports.

The detention and disarming of Osias demonstrates the state of lawlessness in Kalinga. If such shameless act can be done by these police officers to a fellow law enforcer, what more can they do to unarmed civilians?

These brazen acts definitely meant to intimidate the witnesses and sow more fear in Kalinga are part of a desperate maneuver of Ramos and his cohorts to escape accountability.

Ramos has no responsibility or authority in Kalinga anymore since the mandatory leave imposed on him last August 15 took effect. Dumallig and the Kalinga PNP should explain to the public why they allowed Ramos to usurp their function and authority. They should be held gravely accountable for the violations mentioned above. Those in command at the regional level should also see to it that appropriate sanctions beyond revamp should be imposed on these police officers.

Under the term of Ramos as Police Director in Tabuk, Kalinga (March-August 2006), there were sixteen other victims of summary execution and seven cases of frustrated murder. Witnesses and the kin of victims have directly pointed to Ramos as the culprit.

If no sanctions are made to punish Ramos and his men, then it appears that the PNP is coddling him despite the cases and violations that have to be answered. This would also mean that the government is not serious in bringing justice to the victims of human rights violations. Of the 763 killings and 184 abductions/enforced disappearances at the national level (data as of September 30), no single case has yet been solved.

We call for the arrest and full prosecution of Ramos for all his crimes against the people. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, because of her policy to silence legitimate people's dissent through human rights violations, must be held equally accountable.

We challenge the people especially in Kalinga to be strong and firmly stand against human rights violations despite the threats. Let us work for justice to be served.#

For reference:
Beverly L. Longid
Vice Chairperson, CHRA
Contact nos: +6374 446.6227 or 442.6040