Reds vow justice for abducted Filipino activist

Photos of victims of extra-judicial killings and abducted political activists during an interfaith rally in the Philippines. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)

MANILA, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / June 28, 2009) – Communist rebels vowed to exact justice against government soldiers tagged as behind the abduction of a peasant activist Jonas Burgos in the Philippines.

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) also condemned Filipino leader Gloria Arroyo for promoting three military officials allegedly involved in the disappearance of Burgos in April 2007.

“Arroyo's promotion of lieutenant colonels Noel Clement, Melquiades Feliciano and Edison Caga to full colonel only shows how she rewards fascist scoundrels who carry out with impunity her policy of state terrorism. She has demonstrated her complete disdain of human rights.”

“The promotion of these three military officers is in outright contempt of the aggrieved family, friends and advocates to the cause of Jonas Burgos,” the CPP said in a statement.

It said the three officials belong to the Philippine Army's 56th Infantry Battalion based in Bulacan’s Norzagaray town.

“They have been directly named as respondents in the habeas corpus case filed by the Burgos family. The pieces of evidence against the three include the license plate TAB 194 of a jeep impounded at their headquarters in Norzagaray. The license plate was seen attached to the van used in the abduction of Burgos,” the CPP said.

“The revolutionary forces will not tire in their efforts to achieve justice. Sooner or later, these fascists will pay for their crimes,” the CPP said.

The NPA is fighting the past four decades for the establishment of a Maoist state in the country. (Mindanao Examiner)

Bones found in alleged ex-Army detachment in Bataan

Human bones, believed to be a victim or victims of extra-judicial killings, have been found at an alleged former Army detachment in a village in Limay, Bataan.

The bones were discovered Tuesday after Raymond Manalo, who escaped from a military abduction months ago, identified an area in barangay Bliss, Limay, Bataan where he had been forcibly detained and where he allegedly saw elements of the 24th Infantry Batallion burn Manuel Merino's dead body.

Merino, a farmer, was reportedly abducted by the military along with missing UP students Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeño last June 2006.

Manalo joined a fact-finding team Monday in identifying three graves of possible victims of extra-judicial killings in Bataan.

Dr. Francisco Datar, head of the team of anthropology experts from UP, said Tuesday they were certain that the remains they found were small pieces of human bones.
These will be brought to laboratories for further verification.

Manalo said he saw members of the 24th Infantry Batallion burn Merino's dead body in a vacant area inside the former Army detachment in Bataan.

"The soldiers led Tatay Manuel [Merino] out of the room where they held us in chains. They said [Gen.] Palparan is just going to talk to him," Manalo said in relating the incident.

After a few minutes, however, Manalo heard somebody groan followed by gunshots.
Merino was reportedly killed June 10, 2007.

Manalo and his brother, Reynaldo, were allegedly seized by members of the 56th Infantry Batallion on February 14, 2006. They stayed in this Bataan detachment along with Merino, Cadapan, and Empeño from November 2006 to June 2007.

The excavation in barangay Bliss in Bataan is expected to be finished Wednesday.
Remains found in these graves will be sent to the National Forensic Science Research Training Institute for DNA examination.

Forensic pathologist Dr. Rachel Fortun of the University of the Philippines will oversee the DNA testing. (With a report from Purple Romero / abs-cbnNEWS.com, Newsbreak)