Mindanao lawyer receives threats

PAGADIAN CITY, Philippines (Yehey News / Nov. 22, 2008) - A Pagadian City-based human rights lawyer received a text message on his cellular phone warning him to take things easy.

Emiliano Deleverio, vice chairperson of the Union of Peoples' Lawyers in Mindanao (UPLM) received Tuesday this message, "Atorni au au ha ang imo batasan ky ampay ra ba na sa tagabukid. (Attorney, watch your manners, the people up the hills will surely like you)."

According to the UPLM, Deleverio got the message while he was attending a hearing at Camp Crame in Manila over an administrative case against Pagadian Police Chief Oscar Buenaobra.
The UPLM deemed that the renewed threat on Deleverio came from the same elements who 'consider public interest lawyering as anathema to their anti-democratic activities.'

The group said Deleverio has been at the receiving end of the military's ire in Western Mindanao because of his human rights advocacy.

The group said Deleverio has been subjected to surveillance and harassments for handling human rights cases, including that of political detainee Angelina Bisuña Ipong. Ipong, a consultant of the National Democratic Front (NDF) was arrested on March 8, 2005 by state agents in Aloran, Misamis Oriental for charges of rebellion and other crimes.

She has since been detained at the Pagadian Reformatory Jail in Pagadian City. Fact sheet by human rights group Karapatan shows that Ipong was subjected to sexual abuse and torture. She was 60 at the time of the arrest.

Deleverio, along with Atty. Tirsendo Poloyapoy, handled the country's first successful Writ of Amparo case on the abduction of Ruel Muñasque in October 2007.

The UPLM expressed alarm on the continuing attacks on people's lawyers.Deleverio was also among the lawyers interviewed by delegates of the recent international mission of foreign lawyers and judges.

According to the Counsels for the Defense of Liberties (CODAL) and the National Union of People's Lawyers (NUPL), 22 lawyers have been killed from January 2001 to October 2008. The groups also revealed that at least 41 human rights lawyers were subjected to varying degrees of attacks.