Front Line is deeply concerned following the arbitrary detention of human rights defenders Mary Ann B. Abiero; Jason I. Magtanong; Crisostomo San Juan; Roberto Baguio; Ria R. Amuyan; Jocelyn M. Lagman; Marilyn Millares; Diomcio Sechico; Michael Amposta; Angelita Adriano; JR Buensoceso; Alexanders Ligutan; Alan Pomido; Christopher Gandiga. The aforementioned human rights defenders are all members of the Kilusan para sa Pambansang Demokrasya (KPD), a non-governmental organisation promoting democracy and the rule of law in the Philippines.

Further Information

Posted 06/03/2008 On 29 February 2008, members of the KPD were travelling in two Ford Fierra cars to a peaceful demonstration organised by the KPD in Lubao, Pampanga, when they were stopped at 10.00am at Pasbul by members of the Philippine National Police (PNP). When the police officers asked the KPD members where they were going they said that they were going to Ramon Lingad Hospital in San Fernando in order to give blood. The police officers then proceeded to escort them in the direction of San Fernando. When one of the KPD cars drove away the police officers ordered the other car to pull into the hard shoulder where a van of SWAT policemen arrived, armed and masked, and attacked them. The SWAT policemen searched the vehicles and interrogated the KPD members at gunpoint before taking them to the Pampanga Provincial PNP camp in San Fernando, where they arrived at 11.00am. Each of the KPD members was interrogated individually.

At 3.30pm that same day, KPD leaders from Central Luzon came to inquire as to the legal basis for detaining the KPD members. A police officer informed them that he was unsatisfied with the photocopied documents of the driver of the Ford Fierra and that he was waiting for the driver to produce the original copy. The officer denied detaining the KPD members and they were released at approximately 4.00pm, without the original of the driver's documents having been produced. On their release, the KPD members went to join an inter-faith rally in San Fernando. The same police officers were present and warned the driver and the KPD members that they would be detained again if they did not leave the rally immediately.

Front Line believes that the aforementioned human rights defenders have been targeted as a result of their peaceful and legitimate activities in the defence of human rights, in particular the human rights activities of the KPD in the promotion of democracy in the Philippines.