Post by Freeman on Feb 21, 2006 8:46:40 GMT 8
got this from the e-mail:
PNP ARREST AND TORTURE 11 BACKPACKERS
Exploring the mountains of the region and
visiting the
famous tourist destination, Sagada, Mt. Province, was
a plan-come-
true for eleven backpackers coming from different
parts of the
country who journeyed to the city with a plan to hitch
hike their
way to Sagada. Little did they know that their
adventure would lead
them to their most traumatic and tragic experience in
life.
In a personal interview with the hitchhikers,
they related
that on February 14, 2006, while the eleven
backpackers, one of them
a woman, were hitching a ride in a dump truck along
the Halsema
Highway, they were stopped by members of the PNP
Provincial Mobile
Group and the PNP Regional Mobile Group who were in
full battle
gear, and who ordered them to alight from the vehicle
while
brandishing and pointing their long fire arms against
them. Their
nightmare has just begun. All their belongings were
confiscated.
Any movement from them, while they were lying face
down on the side
of the road, brought them punches, kicks from feet
wearing combat
shoes and smacks from the butts of M-14s and M-16s.
One was even
ordered to kiss with a dog brought by the PNP. They
were thereafter
brought to the 1604th camp where they were subjected
to various
forms of torture – they were hit on different parts of
the body,
including the genitals, gravely threatened to be
killed, ordered to
kneel on the ground under the heat of the sun, drowned
in water,
suffocated in plastic bags, thrown in dug outs deep
enough to be
human graves, made to stand in the nude in the middle
of the night
while really cold water are being poured on them and
punches and
kicks were being delivered to their bodies, and so
many other forms
of torture were done on them. At one time, their
torturers were
drinking alcohol while they subjecting the young
victims to
unimaginable suffering.
All the physical, emotional and mental torture done on
them were
primarily for the purpose of making them admit a crime
which they
never committed. Their torturers wanted them to admit
that they
were the ones who staged a raid on a military camp in
Cabiten,
Mankayan, Benguet on February 10, 2006. The New
Peoples Army in
press interviews and releases earlier admitted being
responsible to
the Cabiten raid. Due to the unbearable suffering they
received, the
eleven backpackers admitted all the charges against
them. Finally,
after more than a day of continuous torture, they were
brought to
the Benguet Provincial Jail where they are now
presently detained.
They were charged with Robbery with Homicide.
The eleven backpackers are:
1. Rundren Berloize G. Lao, Davao City
2. Anderson Tabocanon Alonzo, 18 yrs old,
Malagos,
Baguio
St., Purok 2, Calinan, Davao City
3. Aldoz Christian Maòoza, 18 yrs old,, #2
Sampaloc
St.,
Santolan, Pasig City
4. Ron Baquiran Pandino, 20 yrs old, Brgy.
Mayatba,
Siniloan,
Laguna
5. Ray Lester Esguerra Mendoza, 16 yrs old,
Blk. 157
Lot 32
San Francisco St., Barangay Rizal, Makati City
6. Jethro Villagracia, 21 yrs old, Malagos,
Baguio St.,
Purok 2
Calinan, Davao City
7. Neil Russel Sarmiento Balajadia, 25 yrs
old, #026
Tawiran
St., Santolan Pasig City
8. Darwin Padilla Alagar, 21 yrs old, Brgy
Tipuso,
Urdaneta
City, Pangasinan
9. Arvie Molmog Nuòez, 21 yrs old, Brgy
Silangang
Mayao,
Lucena City
10. Jefferson delacruz DeLaRosa, 20 yrs
old, #211 A.M.
De Leon
St., Santolan, Pasig City
11. Frencess Ann Galdonez Bernal, 15 yrs
old, Camupang,
Marikina City
They are appealing to the authorities for
justice and they
are seeking the assistance of the media to inform
their families and
the Filipino nation of their unfortunate plight. As
they stated in
a letter addressed to the Benguet Governor and the PNP
Chief Gen.
Lomibao, "This has been a tragic and traumatic
experience for us.
We no longer feel safe to travel anywhere in the
country because the
very persons whom we depend to support us are the very
ones who
would subject us to unbearable and unimaginable
physical, mental and
emotional torture. We are still suffering from this
disastrous
experience and at this time of distress, most of us
cannot even
contact our families because our cell phones were
confiscated. We
can only turn to you as a public officer while we are
in this
strange region where we don't have our families and
friends nearby."
Reference:
Manja Bayang
Cordillera Human Rights Alliance
#10 Rimando Rd., Baguio City
Feb. 19, 2006
"So why do we climb? For the challenge. Climbing is an act of hubris, a psychological-cum-physical defiance of the most fundamental earthly power: gravity. Some enjoy participating in this; many enjoy reading about it. And, yes, it's a risky, nakedly narcissistic, mythic business—precisely why it's a good read—but here's the catch: The proximity to death can brilliantly illuminate life itself, hence a mountaineer's willingness to step so close to that bright edge. But slip over that edge and the brilliance is extinguished, and suddenly your death becomes a black hole for those left behind."
by mark jenkins
PNP ARREST AND TORTURE 11 BACKPACKERS
Exploring the mountains of the region and
visiting the
famous tourist destination, Sagada, Mt. Province, was
a plan-come-
true for eleven backpackers coming from different
parts of the
country who journeyed to the city with a plan to hitch
hike their
way to Sagada. Little did they know that their
adventure would lead
them to their most traumatic and tragic experience in
life.
In a personal interview with the hitchhikers,
they related
that on February 14, 2006, while the eleven
backpackers, one of them
a woman, were hitching a ride in a dump truck along
the Halsema
Highway, they were stopped by members of the PNP
Provincial Mobile
Group and the PNP Regional Mobile Group who were in
full battle
gear, and who ordered them to alight from the vehicle
while
brandishing and pointing their long fire arms against
them. Their
nightmare has just begun. All their belongings were
confiscated.
Any movement from them, while they were lying face
down on the side
of the road, brought them punches, kicks from feet
wearing combat
shoes and smacks from the butts of M-14s and M-16s.
One was even
ordered to kiss with a dog brought by the PNP. They
were thereafter
brought to the 1604th camp where they were subjected
to various
forms of torture – they were hit on different parts of
the body,
including the genitals, gravely threatened to be
killed, ordered to
kneel on the ground under the heat of the sun, drowned
in water,
suffocated in plastic bags, thrown in dug outs deep
enough to be
human graves, made to stand in the nude in the middle
of the night
while really cold water are being poured on them and
punches and
kicks were being delivered to their bodies, and so
many other forms
of torture were done on them. At one time, their
torturers were
drinking alcohol while they subjecting the young
victims to
unimaginable suffering.
All the physical, emotional and mental torture done on
them were
primarily for the purpose of making them admit a crime
which they
never committed. Their torturers wanted them to admit
that they
were the ones who staged a raid on a military camp in
Cabiten,
Mankayan, Benguet on February 10, 2006. The New
Peoples Army in
press interviews and releases earlier admitted being
responsible to
the Cabiten raid. Due to the unbearable suffering they
received, the
eleven backpackers admitted all the charges against
them. Finally,
after more than a day of continuous torture, they were
brought to
the Benguet Provincial Jail where they are now
presently detained.
They were charged with Robbery with Homicide.
The eleven backpackers are:
1. Rundren Berloize G. Lao, Davao City
2. Anderson Tabocanon Alonzo, 18 yrs old,
Malagos,
Baguio
St., Purok 2, Calinan, Davao City
3. Aldoz Christian Maòoza, 18 yrs old,, #2
Sampaloc
St.,
Santolan, Pasig City
4. Ron Baquiran Pandino, 20 yrs old, Brgy.
Mayatba,
Siniloan,
Laguna
5. Ray Lester Esguerra Mendoza, 16 yrs old,
Blk. 157
Lot 32
San Francisco St., Barangay Rizal, Makati City
6. Jethro Villagracia, 21 yrs old, Malagos,
Baguio St.,
Purok 2
Calinan, Davao City
7. Neil Russel Sarmiento Balajadia, 25 yrs
old, #026
Tawiran
St., Santolan Pasig City
8. Darwin Padilla Alagar, 21 yrs old, Brgy
Tipuso,
Urdaneta
City, Pangasinan
9. Arvie Molmog Nuòez, 21 yrs old, Brgy
Silangang
Mayao,
Lucena City
10. Jefferson delacruz DeLaRosa, 20 yrs
old, #211 A.M.
De Leon
St., Santolan, Pasig City
11. Frencess Ann Galdonez Bernal, 15 yrs
old, Camupang,
Marikina City
They are appealing to the authorities for
justice and they
are seeking the assistance of the media to inform
their families and
the Filipino nation of their unfortunate plight. As
they stated in
a letter addressed to the Benguet Governor and the PNP
Chief Gen.
Lomibao, "This has been a tragic and traumatic
experience for us.
We no longer feel safe to travel anywhere in the
country because the
very persons whom we depend to support us are the very
ones who
would subject us to unbearable and unimaginable
physical, mental and
emotional torture. We are still suffering from this
disastrous
experience and at this time of distress, most of us
cannot even
contact our families because our cell phones were
confiscated. We
can only turn to you as a public officer while we are
in this
strange region where we don't have our families and
friends nearby."
Reference:
Manja Bayang
Cordillera Human Rights Alliance
#10 Rimando Rd., Baguio City
Feb. 19, 2006
"So why do we climb? For the challenge. Climbing is an act of hubris, a psychological-cum-physical defiance of the most fundamental earthly power: gravity. Some enjoy participating in this; many enjoy reading about it. And, yes, it's a risky, nakedly narcissistic, mythic business—precisely why it's a good read—but here's the catch: The proximity to death can brilliantly illuminate life itself, hence a mountaineer's willingness to step so close to that bright edge. But slip over that edge and the brilliance is extinguished, and suddenly your death becomes a black hole for those left behind."
by mark jenkins