| Action Requested Please write polite letters to Filipino
Government expressing:
1. your concern about the maltreatment of Roberto
Nacional in prison
2. your concern about the extra-judicial execution of
Wilito Boncalos at his home;
3. the opinion that:
* criminals should not be subjected to any kind of
physical and mental torture;
* the military should not carry out extra-judicial
executions; and
* those responsible for the above atrocities should be
brought to justice.
SEND LETTERS TO
President Joseph "Erap" Estrada
Malacanang Palace, Manila, Philippines
Fax: 63-2-731 1325
c.c. copies to:
1. Chairman Aurora Navarete Reci
Commission on Human Rights
UP Complex, Commonwealth Ave., Diliman, Quezon City,
Philippines
Fax: 63-2-929 1020
2. Secretary Serafin Cuevas
Department of Justice
Padre Faura St., Manila, Philippines
Fax: 63-2-521 1614
3. General Joselin Nazareno
Chief of Staff of Armed Forces of the Philippines
Camp Aguinaldo, EDSA, Quezon City, Philippines
Fax: 63-2-911 7783 / 911 7780
4. Diplomatic representative of Philippines accredited to
your country.
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Background
(I) THE TORTURE
Mr. Roberto Nacional, 38, single and resident of Bgy
Mauraro, Guinobatan, Albay, was
recaptured by the Criminal Investigation Group in Manila
on May 10th , 1998 . Before he had escaped from the Albay
Provincial Jail in May 1995, he was awaiting trial for
murder BUT WAS NOT CONVICTED OF ANY CRIME. He had
originally been arrested on suspicion of being a member
of the New Peoples Army (NPA). During his detention a the
National Bureau and Albay Prison, he was subjected to
serious torture but he has refused to press charges
against his captors for fear of reprisals.
Nacional
narrates that he was subjected to heavy blows and beating
by the jail guards after he returned to Albay Provincial
Jail again. Obviously, the guards were angry with his
earlier escape. On his return to Albay Prison, he was
also charged with being a member of NPA. He was then
beaten up more severely and almost lost consciousness.
Nacional realized that he was at the mercy of the prison
guards and he chose not to deny any charges against him,
even though he says he is not guilty of the charge of
membership in the NPA and only guilty of escaping from
prison in 1995. "I don't want to be beaten black and
blue again." Nacional said.
(II)
THE KILLING
Mr. Wilito Boncalos, 37, was a farmer living with his
wife and six children in Bgy Oras, Tabaco, Albay. On July
3rd, 1998, he was shot to death by armed soldiers at his
home in the afternoon at around 5pm. He died from
multiple gunshot wounds in different parts of his body.
His wife, Nida and his 2 year-old daughter, Cristina were
also injured. During incident, the other 5 children were
fortunately out of the house.
About ten armed soldiers arrived at Mr. Boncalos's home
and claimed that they were trying to verify the presence
of NPA members in that area. They opened fire at
Boncalos's house without any warning. Bullets immediately
hit his shoulder and right knee while his daughter,
Cristina was injured in her right leg. The soldiers
claimed that rebels had stayed at Boncalos's home before
they arrived. After the initial shots, Boncalos was hurt
and laying on the floor, but alive. Within minutes, the
soldiers entered the house, approached Boncalos and
killed him. His wife, Nida, related that she trembled as
she witnessed the extra-judicial execution of her husband.
Their 9 year-old son and some villagers also witnessed
what had happened from a nearby hut.
The military claimed that Boncalos was a NPA rebel.
However, neighbours attested to the fact that Boncalos
was only a farmer and was never involved in any kind of
illegal activities. The Commission on Human Rights (CHR)
has already carried out an investigation of which a
report will be released later. Boncalos' wife, Nida,
decided to file the case to seek justice for her innocent
husband and also requested to clear his name from the
military's list of NPA members.
BRIEF BACKGROUND TO THE NEW PEOPLE'S ARMY (NPA)
In the early 1960s, a
group of Filipinos with a Maoist ideological inspiration
formed the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). The
New People's Army (NPA) was formed by the CPP on March 29th,
1969. The CPP/NPA believe that the armed struggle will
create a revolutionary condition against the Filipino
Government which the former considers to be always
corrupt and responsible for the poverty and inequality in
the country.
At the beginning, the CPP/NPA was only a minor presence.
Nevertheless there was a rapid growth of members in the
1970s because of the growing catalogue of popular
grievances against the Marcos regime. As time goes on,
the criticism against the various Governments has not
diminished. The CPP/NPA has continued with their
rebellion against the Philippines Armed Forces. In recent
years, a number of peace talks between the Government and
the National Democratic Front which represents the CCP/NPA
have been held but the negotiations were usually
interrupted by outbreaks of armed action.
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