By MARIA ALETA O. NIEVA
abs-cbnNEWS.com
Stories have been told about mothers, fathers, sisters or brothers fervently searching, practically not leaving any stones unturned, for their loved ones who had been victims of involuntary disappearance.
Like a broken record playing over and over again, the search never seemed to stop as new names were added to the long list of victims every year.
Justice was not served to families whose members are still missing because the perpetrators of the crime of involuntary disappearance, considered as the "most cruel" form of human rights violation, remain unpunished.
The commemoration of the International Week of the Disappeared from May 26-June 1 was highlighted with the recent abduction of an agriculturist and a pastor.
Jonas Burgos, a son of the late press freedom fighter Jose Burgos, was abducted by a group of men while eating at a restaurant inside a mall in Quezon City on April 28.
Prior to his abduction, Burgos was giving seminars on organic farming to peasants in Bulacan.
His disappearance sparked protest not only in the Philippines but also abroad.
Berlin Guerrero, on the other hand, was snatched after officiating Mass in Biñan, Laguna. A group of men forcibly took Guerrero despite protests from his family who demanded a warrant of arrest from his captors.
Guerrero, a member of the United Church of Christ of the Philippines, was traced to a police headquarters in Cavite where charges for murder and inciting to sedition were filed against him.
The pastor had served as the secretary-general of the leftist Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan).
His wife said the pastor bore signs of torture marks to the body when she visited him. She said that her husband told her that policemen placed a plastic bag over his face to suffocate him.
Burgos and Guerrero are but two of the hundreds of cases of involuntary disappearance in the country.
The Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) reported that more than 700 cases have been documented since President Arroyo assumed office in 2001.
"Wala siyang matinong human rights program sa mga State of the Nation Address niya the past years. Tapos, latest nag-praise pa siya kay [Jovito] Palparan na maraming cases of extra-judicial killings and disappearance. Walang nagawa to solve and prevent cases of involuntary disappearance," said Mary Aileen Bacalso, AFAD’s secretary general.
Bacalso said that most of the disappeared were alleged members or sympathizers of communist rebels while others were taken "just for fun."
"Sa ngayon mas maraming cases under Gloria even if hindi siya ganoon katagal. Kahit may change of administration since Marcos…the same military pa rin. Wala talagang change of system," said Bacalso.
According to the October 2006 statistics of the group called Families of Involuntary Disappearance (FIND), the sector which had the highest number of victims are the farmers and workers. Third and fourth in the rank are the youth and women’s sectors.
Mary Ghuy Portajada, spokeswoman for the human rights group Desaparecidos said that 186 people have been reported missing since 2001 up to the present. Fifteen of these cases were reported from January-April this year.
Of the number, nine have been surfaced alive while four, including two students from Bicol who only brought food to poll watchers, were found dead.
"Aktibista lahat sila. Meron din napagtripan lang tulad ng kaso sa Angeles na dinukot ang isang tricycle driver nang hindi nila naabutan iyung mismong kapatid na aktibista. Malinaw naman sa lahat ang mga biktima mula sa hanay na nakikibaka para sa karapatan, nakikibaka para sa lupa. May mga prinsipyong ipinaglalaban," Portajada said.
Usual suspects tagged
Desaparecidos is a Spanish term for "disappeared." These are individuals abducted by a group of people, in many cases, by units of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police, the families of the victims said.
Those who surfaced alive recounted how they were subjected to torture. But others have not been lucky to be reunited with their families as they were summarily executed and their cadavers’ locations are still unknown.
Central Luzon and Eastern Visayas are two of the regions with the highest number of involuntary disappearance of human rights volunteers, youth and farmers.
The trend is becoming more alarming citing the case of Burgos who was abducted while inside the Ever Gotesco mall in Commonwealth, Quezon City.
"Nagsu-surveillance sila. Dumarating sa point na nagkakampo na para i-zero in ang bibiktimahin ng pagdukot at sa mismong harap ng pamilya kaya nilang dukutin. Isa pa iyung paggamit ng sasakyan na walang plate number, tatambay sa kalsada para hintayin ang bibiktimahin. Mga naka-civilian tapos magsusuot ng bonnet, malalaki, mas military men ang dating," Portajada said.
In the case of Burgos’s disappearance, his family suspects the military was behind the incident particularly after a vehicle license plate (TAB 194) used in the abduction was traced to another vehicle impounded at the 56th Infantry Battalion in Norzagaray, Bulacan last year.
"Military may kapasidad na itago ang biktima sa malaking mga kampo nila. May mga testigo ang lumalantad para tumulong pero matagal ang proseso dahil sa pangamba sa kanilang buhay. Pero dala ng konsensiya, nagke-kwento sila," she said.
The crime does not end with the involuntary disappearance of a single person since anxiety, stress and trauma also affects his or her family who would be searching for them .
"Kapag inabduct hindi mo alam kung saan ka magsisimula unless mag-i-ingay ka," said Portajada.
Jose Luis Burgos, Burgos's younger brother, said the family initially called for a press conference to inform the media about his brother’s disappearance and to issue an appeal to those who might have information that would lead his family to his whereabouts.
"Tapos nag-file kami ng blotter at nagpatawag ng investigation sa mga concerned agencies like the Commission on Human Rights at Philippine National Police. Tapos nag-camp hopping kami," he said.
Last month, the Burgos family, members of the Free Jonas Burgos Movement and other concerned agencies staged a peaceful protest in front of Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City to urge the military to surface Jonas.
However, the military answered their appeal by playing songs at full volume and even pushed the families of desaparecidos away.
"Naiba sa amin lifestyle siguro kasi may security threat sa family. May mga sumusunod, nagpaparamdam na nagbabantay kay medyo maingat kami ngayon. Kami ang naghahanap, hindi kami makapagtrabaho," he said adding that "despite this, we family remains strong."
Portajada personally knows what each family of desaparecidos is going through since her father had been a victim of involuntary disappearance 19 years ago.
"Kaya alam ko na hindi ito talaga hihinto. Alam namin na sa sama-sama naming pagkilos doon lang nating kayang patigilin ito," she said.
Her father had been the president of the Coca-Cola Bottlers union when he was abducted on July 20, 1987 in Makati City.
"Si Marcos nagawa niya in 20 years ang 800 biktima. Si Arroyo sa pitong taon niya umaabot na sa 100 ang biktima ng involuntary disappearance at 800 extrajudicial killings," she said.
AFAD recently held the commemoration rites for the International Week of the Disappeared at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani along Quezon Avenue in Quezon City attended by around 80 people mostly by representatives of the diplomatic communities, their country members and families of the victims.
Bacalso said that AFAD offers direct economic assistance to families of desaparecidos.
"Mayroon kaming psychological rehabilitation for families of disappeared and direct economic assistance sa kanila. Kasi iyung ang effort namin to alleviate the pain of their loss," Bacalso said.
She urged the government to act to stop disappearances and enact national laws punishing perpetrators of forced disappearance.
FIND said that involuntary disappearance is not yet considered a crime under Philippine laws and that cases are filed in court as kidnapping, murder or serious illegal detention or combination of the last two crimes.
AFAD considers the International Convention on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced or Involuntary Disappearance as a major source of strength. They call on all Asian governments to sign and ratify the important international treaty that ensures the protection of all persons from forced disappearance.
Its implementation in the national level would require the enactment of national laws criminalizing enforced disappearances which do not yet exist in any part of Asia, AFAD said.
"We hope that the bill sa Philippines magiging the first anti-disappearance law in Asia pero walang political will ang government and no support na maging batas ang bill at marami din oposisyon from the ranks of the perpetrators," said Bacalso.
She said that forced disappearance should be considered as a social issue the public must be aware of to remain vigilant at all times because "anybody can be a victim".
For their part, Portajada appealed to those who might witness an actual abduction to be alert, take pictures from their cellularphones, jot down plate numbers and description of suspects and if possible stop the crime.
"Naniniwala kami na walang ibang magtutulangan. Hindi ito ginusto ng pamilya, umaapela kami sa mga pamilya na kung ano man ang naging gawain o prinsipyo ng mga dinukot huwag ninyong kalimutan at maningdigan para sa karapatan at hustiya," she said.
"Wala siyang matinong human rights program sa mga State of the Nation Address niya the past years. Tapos, latest nag-praise pa siya kay [Jovito] Palparan na maraming cases of extra-judicial killings and disappearance. Walang nagawa to solve and prevent cases of involuntary disappearance," said Mary Aileen Bacalso, AFAD’s secretary general.
Bacalso said that most of the disappeared were alleged members or sympathizers of communist rebels while others were taken "just for fun."
"Sa ngayon mas maraming cases under Gloria even if hindi siya ganoon katagal. Kahit may change of administration since Marcos…the same military pa rin. Wala talagang change of system," said Bacalso.
According to the October 2006 statistics of the group called Families of Involuntary Disappearance (FIND), the sector which had the highest number of victims are the farmers and workers. Third and fourth in the rank are the youth and women’s sectors.
Mary Ghuy Portajada, spokeswoman for the human rights group Desaparecidos said that 186 people have been reported missing since 2001 up to the present. Fifteen of these cases were reported from January-April this year.
Of the number, nine have been surfaced alive while four, including two students from Bicol who only brought food to poll watchers, were found dead.
"Aktibista lahat sila. Meron din napagtripan lang tulad ng kaso sa Angeles na dinukot ang isang tricycle driver nang hindi nila naabutan iyung mismong kapatid na aktibista. Malinaw naman sa lahat ang mga biktima mula sa hanay na nakikibaka para sa karapatan, nakikibaka para sa lupa. May mga prinsipyong ipinaglalaban," Portajada said.
Usual suspects tagged
Desaparecidos is a Spanish term for "disappeared." These are individuals abducted by a group of people, in many cases, by units of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police.
Those who surfaced alive recounted how they were subjected to torture. But others have not been lucky to be reunited with their families as they were summarily executed and their cadavers’ locations are still unknown.
Central Luzon and Eastern Visayas are two of the regions with the highest number of involuntary disappearance of human rights volunteers, youth and farmers.
The trend is becoming more alarming citing the case of Burgos who was abducted while inside the Ever Gotesco mall in Commonwealth, Quezon City.
"Nagsu-surveillance sila. Dumarating sa point na nagkakampo na para i-zero in ang bibiktimahin ng pagdukot at sa mismong harap ng pamilya kaya nilang dukutin. Isa pa iyung paggamit ng sasakyan na walang plate number, tatambay sa kalsada para hintayin ang bibiktimahin. Mga naka-civilian tapos magsusuot ng bonnet, malalaki, mas military men ang dating," Portajada said.
In the case of Burgos’s disappearance, his family suspects the military was behind the incident particularly after a vehicle license plate (TAB 194) used in the abduction was traced to another vehicle impounded at the 56th Infantry Battalion in Norzagaray, Bulacan last year.
"Military may kapasidad na itago ang biktima sa malaking mga kampo nila. May mga testigo ang lumalantad para tumulong pero matagal ang proseso dahil sa pangamba sa kanilang buhay. Pero dala ng konsensiya, nagke-kwento sila," she said.
The crime does not end with the involuntary disappearance of a single person since anxiety, stress and trauma also affects his or her family who would be searching for them .
"Kapag inabduct hindi mo alam kung saan ka magsisimula unless mag-i-ingay ka," said Portajada.
Jose Luis Burgos, Burgos's younger brother, said the family initially called for a press conference to inform the media about his brother’s disappearance and to issue an appeal to those who might have information that would lead his family to his whereabouts.
"Tapos nag-file kami ng blotter at nagpatawag ng investigation sa mga concerned agencies like the Commission on Human Rights at Philippine National Police. Tapos nag-camp hopping kami," he said.
Last month, the Burgos family, members of the Free Jonas Burgos Movement and other concerned agencies staged a peaceful protest in front of Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City to urge the military to surface Jonas.
However, the military answered their appeal by playing songs at full volume and even pushed the families of desaparecidos away.
"Naiba sa amin lifestyle siguro kasi may security threat sa family. May mga sumusunod, nagpaparamdam na nagbabantay kay medyo maingat kami ngayon. Kami ang naghahanap, hindi kami makapagtrabaho," he said adding that "despite this, we family remains strong."
Portajada personally knows what each family of desaparecidos is going through since her father had been a victim of involuntary disappearance 19 years ago.
"Kaya alam ko na hindi ito talaga hihinto. Alam namin na sa sama-sama naming pagkilos doon lang nating kayang patigilin ito," she said.
Her father had been the president of the Coca-Cola Bottlers union when he was abducted on July 20, 1987 in Makati City.
"Si Marcos nagawa niya in 20 years ang 800 biktima. Si Arroyo sa pitong taon niya umaabot na sa 100 ang biktima ng involuntary disappearance at 800 extrajudicial killings," she said.
AFAD recently held the commemoration rites for the International Week of the Disappeared at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani along Quezon Avenue in Quezon City attended by around 80 people mostly by representatives of the diplomatic communities, their country members and families of the victims.
Bacalso said that AFAD offers direct economic assistance to families of desaparecidos.
"Mayroon kaming psychological rehabilitation for families of disappeared and direct economic assistance sa kanila. Kasi iyung ang effort namin to alleviate the pain of their loss," Bacalso said.
She urged the government to act to stop disappearances and enact national laws punishing perpetrators of forced disappearance.
FIND said that involuntary disappearance is not yet considered a crime under Philippine laws and that cases are filed in court as kidnapping, murder or serious illegal detention or combination of the last two crimes.
AFAD considers the International Convention on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced or Involuntary Disappearance as a major source of strength. They call on all Asian governments to sign and ratify the important international treaty that ensures the protection of all persons from forced disappearance.
Its implementation in the national level would require the enactment of national laws criminalizing enforced disappearances which do not yet exist in any part of Asia, AFAD said.
"We hope that the bill sa Philippines magiging the first anti-disappearance law in Asia pero walang political will ang government and no support na maging batas ang bill at marami din oposisyon from the ranks of the perpetrators," said Bacalso.
She said that forced disappearance should be considered as a social issue the public must be aware of to remain vigilant at all times because "anybody can be a victim".
For their part, Portajada appealed to those who might witness an actual abduction to be alert, take pictures from their cellularphones, jot down plate numbers and description of suspects and if possible stop the crime.
"Naniniwala kami na walang ibang magtutulangan. Hindi ito ginusto ng pamilya, umaapela kami sa mga pamilya na kung ano man ang naging gawain o prinsipyo ng mga dinukot huwag ninyong kalimutan at maningdigan para sa karapatan at hustiya," she said.
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=79739
Posted by marga at Junio 28, 2007 5:33 PM | TrackBack