Staff of the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines (CHRP) and a member of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) were recently attacked while they were on mission in the island of Limaong, Zamboanga City to investige the murder case of Madal Barorong, a human rights activist. FORUM-ASIA has communicated with the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders on this case and urges the government to conduct a thorough investigation of this incident.
FORUM-ASIA urges Philippine government to investigate attack against Commission staff
FORUM-ASIA transmitted information to the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders regarding a recent attack against four members of the staff of the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines (CHRP) and a member of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) while they were on mission in the island of Limaong, Zamboanga City.
The four members of the staff of the CHRP were Attorney Raul S. Quiboyen, Mr. Brendo Morales, Mr. Joey Ling, and Mr. Rocel Basilio. They were accompanied by a medico-legal officer from the NBI, Doctor Jose Athanacious Rufon.
The attack on the members of the CHRP, and the accompanying forensics expert from the NBI, took place while they were on a mission to conduct an investigation of a murder case of Mr. Madal Barorong, human rights activist in Limaong.
They had gone there to exhume and conduct an autopsy on the victim’s remains. The island of Limaong is a short boat ride away from Zamboanga City. The CHRP team was attacked when it was on its way back to Zamboanga City from the island of Limaong. Although no one was injured, the CHRP has filed murder charges against Sergeant Abu Khasan, commander of the 18th Infantry Battalion of the 1st Infantry Division of the Philippine Army. It is suspected that the attacks were linked to the murder case the CHRP team was investigating.
The CHRP is the national human rights institution (NHRI) of the Philippines. FORUM-ASIA views NHRIs as defenders of human rights defenders. It has constantly asserted that NHRIs hold an important role in the promotion and protection of human rights in the region, considering the fact that Asia has yet to set up a human rights mechanism that would cover the region. NHRIs are the primary protection mechanisms for human rights defenders working on the ground.
FORUM-ASIA calls on the government of the Philippines to conduct a thorough investigation of this incident. It also calls on the government of the Philippines to temporarily relieve Sergeant Abu Khasan from his post in Zamboanga City, pending the investigation, as it has been reported that he has been harassing potential witnesses to the incident.
For more information or clarification, please contact the Human Rights Defenders Programme of FORUM-ASIA at [email protected].
Background:
On 20 June 2008, at around 8:00 am, Mr. Quiboyen, Mr. Morales, Mr. Ling, Mr. Basilio, and Dr. Rufon went to the police detachment of Barangay Vitali, Zamboanga City, to request for a police escort to go with them to the island of Limaong. This island is a short boat ride away from Zamboanga City.
Mr. Quiboyen, et. al, were going to the island of Limaong to investigate the alleged murder of Madal Barorong.
The team of Mr. Quiboyen planned to exhume and conduct an autopsy on the remains of Madal Barorong that day.
The team of Mr. Quiboyen was assigned two policemen from the police station of Baranggay Vitali to accompany them to the island of Limaong. The team were also to be accompanied that day by a group of relatives of Madal Barorong, led by his father, Mr. Ebol Barorong.
At around 4:00 pm, after exhuming the remains and conducting an autopsy, the team headed back to Zamboanga City on a motorized boat. They were accompanied 2 boat operators: Muslimin Jain and Jay Ar Sari. Mr. Ebol Barorong and the other relatives of Madal Barorong were on a second boat following the team of Mr. Quiboyen.
As the boat of the team of Mr. Quiboyen was passing the shore of the town of Malanta, which is located on the island of Limaong, the group on the boat heard a series of gunfire. Jay Ar Sari, one of the boat operators, then said to Mr. Joey Ling, “Sir, we are being fired upon. I saw bullets hitting the water near our boat. Sir, I am afraid.”
The team decided to steer the boat towards the next town after Malanta. The gunfire still continued as they did this. When they reached the shore, they waited for an hour until the group of Mr. Ebol Barorong arrived to pick them up. They saw that Mr. Ebol Barorong was riding a different boat. They were informed by Mr. Ebol Barorong that a certain Sergeant Abu Khasan intercepted the group of Mr. Ebol Barorong and confiscated their boat. Sergeant Abu Khasan also told the group of Mr. Ebol Barorong, “Walang pulis-pulis sa akin. Binaril naming sila dahil hindi sila nakipag-coordinate sa akin.” (translation: Policemen don’t matter to me. I shot them because they did not coordinate with me.)
Mr. Ebol Barorong turned over to Mr. Quiboyen the 4 spent cartridges from an M16 rifle, 3 spent cartridges from a garand, and 3 spent cartridges from an M14 rifle. He claimed that these were used to fire upon them by the group of Sergeant Abu Khasan.
Mr. Ebol Barorong also told the team of Mr. Quiboyen that he saw Mr. Tarawi Asmali in the group with Sergeant Abu Khasan. He told Mr. Quiboyen that Mr. Tarawi Asmali is the one who allegedly murdered his son.
