PHILIPPINES: Activist killed and an attempt made on another’s life

Sun Mar 19 18:55:51 PST 2006

URGENT ACTION URGENT ACTION URGENT ACTION URGENT ACTION

ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION - URGENT APPEALS PROGRAMME

Urgent Appeal

20 March 2006
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UA-096-2006: PHILIPPINES: Activist killed and an attempt made on
another’s life

PHILIPPINES: Extra-judicial execution of activist; inadequate police
investigation; ineffective witness protection; collapse of rule of
law
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Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) regrets to inform you that
another human rights activist has been killed while another one has
survived an attempt on her life in separate incidents on 10 March
2006 in Luzon, Philippines. Activist Crisanto Teodoro (a.k.a. Santi)
was shot dead while driving in a car with his wife Lucila in Malolos,
Bulacan while Elena Mendiola (a.k.a. Baby) was shot at by two men in
front of her house in Echague, Isabela. 

It was around 9pm when Teodoro was shot at while driving with his
wife Lucila and colleagues. Lucila suffered injuries to her face
after slamming into the car’s window following her car being rammed.
Teodoro is one among 33 victims of summary execution since January
this year, according to a report by Karapatan (Alliance for the
Advancement of People’s Rights). The group added that Teodoro is also
the 82nd member of party list Bayan Muna (People First) to be killed
since 2001.

Meanwhile, Mendiola survived an attempt on her life when gunmen
shooting at her missed. She was in front of her house at around
9:30am in Sillauan Sur, Echague, Isabela when the incident happened.
She was able to run for cover behind a wall. The unidentified
assailants shot at her three times. The gunmen were believed to have
used a .45 caliber pistol when shooting the victim.

Mendiola is herself a leader of Bayan Muna in the province. She was a
member of the United Opposition during the National Elections of 2003.
She is also a member of the People's Alliance for Democracy, Justice
and Good Governance and a popular defender of peasant rights in
Echague, Isabela.

A week before the incident, another activist, Gina Ricardo of Bayan
(Bagong Alyansang Makabayan) in Cagayan Valley Chapter was also
harassed. It is reported that an unidentified man pointed a gun at
her on March 3.

This is yet another incident of killing and violence of human rights
activists in the Philippines. While these incidents are occurring
unabated, the response by the concerned authority’s, in particular
the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Department of Justice (DoJ)
has been completely inadequate. In most cases the perpetrators have
not been identified, arrested and prosecuted. 

The AHRC has repeatedly raised serious concerns regarding these
issues including in our open letter to Department of Justice
Secretary Raul Gonzalez (AHRC-OL-002-2006
{http://www.ahrchk.net/statements/mainfile.php/2006statements/407/})
and to Ms Louise Arbour of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
(AHRC-OL-08-2005
{http://www.ahrchk.net/statements/mainfile.php/2005statements/391/}).
The ineffective implementation of the Witness Protection, Security and
Benefit Act (RA 6981) is among the key factors in failing to address
these cases. Most of these cases have either not been filed or have
not shown progress in court due to the lack of witnesses. The
non-prosecution of perpetrators creates a culture of impunity and
violence. 

SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write letters to the relevant authorities listed below
requesting for a thorough and impartial investigation into the
killing of Crisanto Teodoro. The police investigators should exert
all means to collect sufficient evidence and to identify the
perpetrators and to effectively prosecute them. An inquiry must also
commence into the attempt on Elena Mendiola’s life. Mendiola must
also be afforded with appropriate protection to ensure her safety.
Reports of threats and harassment instigated against other activists
should also be investigated. 

Suggested letter:

Dear __________,

PHILIPPINES: Activist killed and an attempt made on another’s life

Name of victim killed: Crisanto Teodoro (45), married and with
children, a resident of Menzyland Subdivision, Malolos, Bulacan. He
was the chairperson of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN)
Place of incident: Menzyland Subdivision, Malolos, Bulacan
Date and time of incident: 10 March 2006 at around 9pm
Name of victim who survived attempt: Elena Mendiola (a.k.a. Baby), a
resident of Sillauan Sur, Echague, Isabela. She is the secretary
General of Bayan Muna (People First) – Isabela Chapter 
Place of incident: Echague, Isabela
Date and time of incident: 10 March 2006 at 9am

I am writing to draw your attention to the case of Crisanto Teodoro,
a human rights activist who was killed in Malolos, Bulacan and
another activist, Elena Mendiola, who survived an attempt on her life
in Echague, Isabela in separate incidents on 10 March 2006.

According to the information I received, Teodoro was shot dead by
gunmen riding on a motorcycle while he was driving in his car
together with his wife Lucila and other colleagues. His wife Lucila
suffered injuries to her face when the car they were riding rammed
into a roadside following the shooting. 

Meanwhile, Elena Mendiola survived an attempt on her life when gunmen
riding on a motorcycle narrowly missed her in Echague, Isabela.
Mendiola was in front of her house when the gunmen started shooting
at her. She was able to run for cover behind a concrete wall.

I am deeply concerned by this, yet another incident of killing and
violence against human rights activists in the Philippines. I have
learned that the perpetrators of Teodoro’s killing and those who made
an attempt on Mendiola’s life have not been identified. Although
investigations have been conducted into these cases, they have not
reached any conclusive findings to identify, arrest and effectively
prosecute those responsible. 

I am extremely disappointed by the manner in which the government, in
particular the Philippine National Police (PNP) is handling these
cases and in previous cases of extra-judicial execution involving
human rights and political activists. Although the PNP and the
Department of Justice (DoJ) is aware that effective implementation of
the Witness Protection, Security and Benefit Act (RA 6981) is among
the key factors in addressing these cases, it has not done enough to
reach this objective. 

The government’s inadequate action to address these unrestrained
killings and the violence against activists is most disturbing. I
therefore urge your intervention to ensure that all means of
investigations are exhausted into Teodoro and Mendiola’s case. Any
further investigation conducted must endeavour to establish who is
responsible for these incidents and bring them to justice without
delay. Teodoro’s family must be afforded with appropriate
compensation while Mendiola must be provided adequate security to
ensure her safety. The government must take a proactive role to
ensure their citizen’s right to life is protected.

I trust that you will take immediate action in this case.

Yours sincerely,

-------------------
PLEASE SEND LETTERS TO:

1. Ms. Purificacion Quisumbing
Commissioner
Commission on Human Rights
SAAC Bldg., Commonwealth Avenue
U.P. Complex, Diliman
Quezon City
PHILIPPINES
Tel: +63 2 928 5655 / 926 6188
Fax: +63 2 929 0102
Email: drpvq at chr.gov.ph {mailto:drpvq at chr.gov.ph}

2. P/DIR Gen. Arturo Lumibao
Chief, Philippine National Police (PNP)
Camp General Rafael Crame
Quezon City 
PHILIPPINES
Tel: +63 2726 4361/4366/8763
Fax: +63 2724 8763

3. Mr. Raul Gonzalez
Secretary
Department of Justice
DOJ Bldg., Padre Faura
1004 Manila
PHILIPPINES
Fax: +63 2 521 1614
Email: sechbp at infocom.com.ph {mailto:sechbp at infocom.com.ph}

4. Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
President
Republic of the Philippines
Malacanang Palace
JP Laurel Street, San Miguel
Manila 1005 
PHILIPPINES
Tel: +63 2 735 6201 / 564 1451 to 80
Fax: +63 2 736 1010

5. Gen. Generoso Senga
Chief of Staff
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)
Armed Forces of the Philippines General Headquarters Offices
(AFP-GHQ) 
Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo
Quezon City
PHILIPPINES

6. Mr. Philip Alston 
Special Rapporteur on Extra-judicial, Summary, or Arbitrary
Executions 
Atten: Lydie Ventre 
Room 3-016, c/o OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND 
Tel: +41 22 917 9155
Fax: +41 22 917 9006 (general)
Email: lventre at ohchr.org {mailto:lventre at ohchr.org}

7. Ms. Yakin Erturk
Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women
c/o Ms Vernonica Birga
Room 3-042
c/o OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Tel: +41 22 917 9615
Fax: +41 22 917 9006 (ATTN: SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR VIOLENCE AGAINST
WOMEN)
Email: vbirga at ohchr.org {mailto:vbirga at ohchr.org} (please also cc:
rrico at ohchr.org {mailto:rrico at ohchr.org})

Thank you.

Urgent Appeals Programme 
Asian Human Rights Commission (ahrchk at ahrchk.org
{mailto:ahrchk at ahrchk.org})

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Asian Human Rights Commission
19/F, Go-Up Commercial Building,
998 Canton Road, Kowloon, Hongkong S.A.R.
Tel: +(852) - 2698-6339 Fax: +(852) - 2698-6367

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