All News items from Filipinas

La delegación de Front Line ha expresado su seria preocupación por las continuas matanzas y desapariciones forzadas de defensores/as de los derechos humanos en Filipinas, al culminar una visita de dos semanas a ese país. Los representantes de Front Line se reunieron con defensores/as de los derechos humanos en Manila, Central Luzon, Zambales, Mindanao y Cebu, así como también con el ejército, la policía, el Presidente de la Suprema Corte de Justicia, la Comisión de Derechos Humanos y el Ministro de Justicia.  

On 12 April 2007, in Iloilo province, the Philippines, unidentified gunmen ambushed the car in which three human rights defenders were travelling, leaving one man seriously injured.

Reportedly, the gunmen opened fire at the pick-up and then dragged Nilo Arado and Maria Luisa Posa-Dominado to their van and drove off. Jose Ely Garachico was taken to a hospital in Iloilo city where he remains in a critical condition awaiting an operation to remove a bullet, which is lodged in his chest. The pick-up used in the abduction of Nilo Arado and Maria Luisa Posa-Dominado was reportedly found in a burned-out state in a secluded area in Barangay Guadalupe, Janiuay, and 30kms northwest of Iloilo City.  

A leading human rights defender and critic of the Philippine government, Bishop Alberto Ramento was brutally murdered in his parish of San Sebastian on 3 October. “His death is a terrible loss for the human rights community in the Philippines,” Director of Front Line, Mary Lawlor said.

Bishop Ramento was a prolific peace and human rights advocate in the Philippines. He was a convener for the ‘Pilgrims for Peace’, an organisation that supports the peace process in the country, a leader of the human rights group, ‘Karapatan’ one of the most active human rights organisations reporting on extra-judicial killings in the Philippines. Bishop Ramento was also the Chairman of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente’s (IFI) Supreme Council of Bishops, and Chairman of the National Council of Churches.

Police investigations have reportedly concluded that Bishop Alberto Ramento's death was the result of a robbery. His family and fellow clergy strongly suspect that his killing was politically motivated, as he had received a series of death threats prior to his murder.  

De acuerdo con informaciones emitidas por el Observatorio para la Protección de los Derechos Humanos, el pasado l3 de febrero de 2004, Juvy Magsino y Leima Fortu, ambas defensoras de los derechos humanos desarrollando su labor en Filipinas, fueron asesinadas presuntamente por miembros del Ejército filipino (IBPA). Juvy Magsino había recibido previamente dos amenazas de muerte que afirmaban que moriría antes del 15 de febrero de 2004.

La información recibida señala que el pasado 13 de febrero 2004, a las 23:00 aproximadamente, miembros de la 204 Brigada de Infantería del Ejército filipino (IBPA) siguieron a Juvy Magsino y a Leima Fortu mientras conducían hacia Pinagsabangan para recibir un ordenador por parte de un amigo. Dos hombres en una motocicleta sin matrícula armados con una 9mm y una armalite cubrieron el vehículo de Juvy Magsino con una lluvia de balas y dispararon a Juvy Magsino y a Lima Fortu hasta la muerte en Barangay Amuguis.