PHILIPPINES: More unsolved murders of crime suspects - AHRC

ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION - URGENT APPEALS PROGRAMME

Urgent Appeal Update: AHRC-UAU-044-2008

22 July 2008

[RE: AHRC-UAG-008-2008: PHILIPPINES: More unsolved murders of crime suspects]

PHILIPPINES: VIGILANTE KILLINGS - Police' failure to solve cases aggravates murder

ISSUES: Extrajudicial killing; police negligence; right to liberty and security; children; administration of justice

SLAUGHTER OF INNOCENTShttp://noprotection.blog.humanrights.asia/

Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been receiving information continuously that more persons have been murdered recently, including minors and women, on the pretext of "vigilante killings". The police, once again, instead of thoroughly investigating each of these cases, justified the murders as being due to the victim's criminal records.

UPDATED INFORMATION: (According to reliable sources and Sun.Star Super Balita)
In addition to our previous appeals AHRC-UAG-008-2008, AHRC-UAU-032-2008, we have already mentioned that at least 21 persons, one of whom was a boy, have already been murdered on the pretext of vigilante killings since April of this year.

We have previously mentioned that most of those murdered have been suspected of involvement in criminal activities, former detainees and gang members. However, some of those killed have had no involvement but the police authorities are continuously avoiding any responsibility to solve these cases, particularly of identifying and prosecuting those responsible.

For instance, two of those killed as mentioned in this Case No. 5 below, were the wife and a brother-in-law of a deceased person. Even before he was murdered, his colleague, also suspected of having been involved in crime, was shot dead in police custody for reportedly attempting to grab a police firearm in his attempt to escape from their custody but this was never thoroughly investigated.

As the AHRC continues to document murders of this nature it becomes increasingly evident that they are aggravated by the failure of the police failure to thoroughly investigate and ensure the possibility of an effective prosecution. The police also fail to implement the laws regulating the control of firearms and the proper use of license plates of motorcycles. This failure allows the gunmen to arm themselves and use their motorcycles to kill their targets.

The gunmen have been killing their targets in broad daylight, inside their own houses, in crowded public places and even shortly after coming out from a police detention center. Investigation into these cases, however, has not shown substantial progress so far. The perpetrators of these murders remain unidentified.

1. LAYNEL ROMANO, 22 years old, of Bunawan, Davao City. On May 21, when he was watching a basketball game in a crowded place in his village, two young men suddenly shot him in the head using an improvised gun. The gunmen escaped by mixing with the panicked crowd. The police concluded it was a "gang war" without thorough investigation.

2. MANUELITO BELINARIO, 55 years old, of Barangay (village) Cuambogan, Tagum City. On May 22, when he was about to take his dinner, he was shot in the head by a man who was armed with a .45 caliber pistol. Two empty shells were found at the crime scene.

3. RONALD BENGIL, 32 years old; of Barangay Mankilam, Tagum City. On May 22, when he was buying charcoal from a store close to his house, he was shot repeatedly by attackers riding on a motorcycle. He died after suffering from several gunshot wounds.

4. DANILO AUGUIS, 38 years old; of Barangay Bula, General Santos City. On May 26, he was together with his sister Gina when an unknown man approached them. The man asked them if they knew Jun Jorie. Gina told the man to ask someone else instead as she did not know the person he was looking for; and when she turned to the man's back, the man shot his brother, Danilo, on the head with a .45 caliber pistol. He escaped on board a motorcycle waiting nearby. Danilo had been detained due to a charge for theft of mobile phone but was later released after it was returned to owner.

5. NERITO CALIMBO, his wife JOCELYN, and brother-in-law AARON. On May 22, Nerito, were shot dead in San Pedro Corner Legaspi Streets in Davao City after he was released from police detention. Jocelyn and Aaron, who had fetched him, were also killed by gunmen riding on motorcycle who fired at the taxi they were riding. Only his son, Norman survived.

An hour before Nerito was killed, Jose Jorge Corpuz, chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in Southern Mindanao warned him that he had to be careful as he had been targeted for a kill. Corpuz, however, when he was interviewed about the warning he had given to the victim claimed it was only his "presumption" that the victim was at risk.
The police nevertheless have concluded that it was Nerito's colleagues in Chigo Gang who had killed him even before the investigation was completed. They however did give neither explanation nor justification why his wife, Jocelyn and Aaron had to be killed also. Nerito's colleague, Bernado Chigo has also been killed on May 22 as he had reportedly attempted to grab a gun from his police escort. This, once again, has not been thoroughly investigated.

6. REZEMIAS BENSOLANO, 17 years old, of Barangay Calumpang, General Santos City. On June 3, when he was sitting outside his house with a friend after dinner, he was stabbed repeatedly by two unidentified men armed with bladed weapons. They also attempted to stab his unnamed friend but failed. The attackers escaped on their motorcycle from the area. Rezemias died on his way to the hospital due to stab wounds to his chest and his back.

7. RICHARD BALDELOBAR; 22 years old, of Dona Salud Village, Davao City. On June 3, while Felipe and his friends were standing on a street in their village, unidentified gunmen, who were riding on a motorcycle, suddenly approached and shot him in the head at close range. The attacker was described as about 30 years old, 5'4 tall and was wearing white sleeveless shirt. He escaped with another person who had waited for him close by. Senior Police Officer Demetrio Palomar of Sasa Police Station described the victim as a "known troublemaker" since, according to the police, he had been involved in theft cases and had criminal records for beating and had been part of a "6425 Gang".

8. FELIPE REBUCAS, 30 years old, laborer of Buhangin, Davao City. He was queuing up at a government retail store at the Upper Malagamot, Panacan to buy rice when he shot dead by one of the two unidentified armed men riding on a motorcycle. His parents and siblings and several witnesses were present during the shooting. The attackers escaped on board a black motorcycle. During investigation, the police looked into the victim's criminal record rather than identify who were responsible for the killing.

9. JUNARD CALACAR, 19 years old; MELVIN CAPUYAN, 38 years old of Mintal, Davao City. On June 2, they were shot dead by gunmen inside their house when they were watching television. Junard's cousin, John Carlo Calacar was also injured as he was present during the attack. Police Office (PO3) Edgar Genovia of the Tugbok police station claimed that there were four identified men who shot the victims. Junard's mother said his son was the real target as he was a gang member and had received death threats before the attack.

10. MICHAEL CASTINO, of Zone 5, Barangay Bonbon, Cagayan de Oro City. On May 30, two men who were riding on a motorcycle shot him at the left side of his head. This happened at the corner of Osmena and Yacapin streets where many people were eating breakfast. The victim had been described supposedly as a member of the Batang Mindanao 29 gang and involved in numerous robbery and pickpocket cases.

You can also read the AHRC's statements on this: AHRC-STM-184-2008; AHRC-OLT-017-2008; ALRC-CWS-08-014-2008 and AHRC-STM-079-2008.