1. The immediate formation of an independent fact-finding and investigation team composed of representatives from human rights groups, the Church, local government, and the Commission on Human Rights that will look into the frustrated killing of Jose Ely Garachico and the enforced disappearance of Maria Luisa Posa-Dominado and NiloArado
2. The arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators of the crime/s of frustrated killing and enforced disappearances.
3. The immediate and proper indemnification of the victims; and 4. The Philippine Government to be reminded that it is a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and that it is also a party to all the major Human Rights instruments, thus it is bound to observe all of these instruments' provisions
SELDA
Society of Ex-Detainees for Liberation, Against Detention and for Amnesty
Senator Robert Menendez Suite1100 Newark, New Jersey 07102
Dear Senator Menendez,
Greetings,Even as I extend my handin warm friendship, I seek your solace for one in deep pain.A dear friend, Ma. Luisa Posa-Dominado, a native of Iloilo City, Philippines, is now among the desaparicidos, the enforced disappearances, during the administration of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.Luing as we fondly call her is the spokesperson of SELDA (Society of Ex-Detainees for Liberation, Against Detention and for Amnesty).She was abducted along with Nilo Arado, National Council Member of Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (Peasant Movement of the Philippines).Their companion, Jose Ely Garachico, Public Information Officer of KARAPATAN-Panay, was shot at and left to bleed.KARAPATAN is the alliance of human rights organizations.The incident happened last Friday, the 12th of April in Oton,about ten kilometers from Iloilo City, Philippines.For more information, I have forwarded below the message of KARAPATAN.Before this incident occurred, Iloilo was relatively peaceful compared to other provinces in our country.Under the Arroyo administration, the number of extra-judicial killings of activists, journalists, workers, and peasants has exceeded 800, not to mention scores of disappearances and violations of human rights in various parts of the Philippines.The CHR (Commission on Human Rights) has statistics on these.We would like to request your office, you being a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, to please call the attention of the Arroyo Administration to immediately stop its brutal campaign of extrajudicial killings and abduction of activists, journalists, workers, and peasants.Thank you for your kind action. Sincerely yours, Romulo B.del Prado S E L D A 2037 Tampa Terrace Union, New Jersey 07083
---------- Forwarded message ---------KARAPATAN
Public InformationAccount of IncidentAt around 7:00 PM on April 12, 2007, Jose Ely Garachico or "Leeboy" to his family and colleagues, together with Maria Luisa Posa-Dominado, also better known as "Luing" and Nilo Arado, all human rights defenders and leaders of progressive people's organizations in Panay, were on their way home after coming from Antique. When they reached the town of Guimbal, they noticed that they were being tailed by a vehicle. Leeboy was driving the black Mitsubishi L200 pick-up which they borrowed from a friend for that trip. Upon reaching Cabanbanan, Oton in Iloilo, a Mitsubishi van that has been tailing them, cut their path. Three armed men got off and started shooting at Leeboy's group. Leeboy was hit at the left side of his neck.
The armed men then dragged Luing Dominado and Nilo Arado to their van, threw Leeboy on the right side of the road, took the black pick-up and drove off. Leeboy was still able to shout for help. The Cabanbanan Barangay Captain responded and immediately brought Leeboy to the hospital.
The bullet that hit Leeboy went straight to his lungs. He is currently in critical condition at the Iloilo Doctor's Hospital and is scheduled for an operation this morning, April 13. (At 7:24 pm, April 13, according to Leeboy's sister, Leeboy still cannot be operated on because the slug is still moving in his body and the doctors are waiting for it to settle in his abdominal area.) Luing Posa-Dominado and Nilo Arado remain missing as of this writing.
SELDA is an organization of former political prisoners who advocate for a stop to torture and inhuman and cruel treatment of prisoners, campaigns for the release of political prisoners and the respect and promotion of human rights.
The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP or the Peasant Movement in the Philippines) is a federation of farmer organizations advocating for genuine agrarian reform, land for the tillers, higher prices for agricultural products, delisting of agriculture in the WTO and respect and promotion for human rights especially of the farmers. KARAPATAN is an alliance of human rights organizations, human rights desks and programs of people's organizations and individual human rights advocates that documents cases of violations of human rights, assists victims of human rights violations, educates the grassroots on human rights and ways to assert them. It also launches campaigns to release political prisoners, search for those who disappeared and lobbies for the indemnification of human rights violations victims. Recommended ActionSend letters, emails or fax messages calling for: 1. The immediate formation of an independent fact-finding and investigation team composed of representatives from human rights groups, the Church, local government, and the Commission on Human Rights that will look into the frustrated killing of Jose Ely Garachico and the enforced disappearance of Maria Luisa Posa-Dominado and Nilo Arado. 2. The arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators of the crime/s of frustrated killing and enforced disappearances. 3. The immediate and proper indemnification of the victims; and4. The Philippine Government to be reminded that it is a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and that it is also a party to all the major Human Rights instruments, thus it is bound to observe all of these instruments' provisions. You may send your communications to: H.E. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo President of the Republic Malacanang Palace, JP Laurel St., San Miguel Manila Philippines Voice: (+632) 564 1451 to 80 Fax: (+632) 742-1641 / 929-3968 Cell#: (+ 63) 919 898 4622 / (+63) 917 839 8462 E-mail: corres@op.gov.ph <http://us.f584.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=corres@op.gov.ph> opnet@ops.gov.ph <http://us.f584.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=opnet@ops.gov.ph>
Sec. Jesus D. Dureza Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process *Office of the Peace Process 7th Floor Agustin Building I Emerald Avenue Pasig City 1605 Voice: +63 (2) 636 0701 to 066 Fax: +63 (2) 635 9579 E-mail: osec@opapp.gov.ph <http://us.f584.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=osec@opapp.gov.ph>
Gen. Hermogenes Ebdane, (Ret.) Secretary, Department of National Defense Room 301 DND Building, Camp Emilio Aguinaldo, E. de los Santos Avenue, Quezon City Voice: +63(2) 911-9281 / 911-0488 Fax: +63(2) 911 6213 E-mail: osnd@philonline.com <http://us.f584.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=osnd@philonline.com>
Sec. Raul M. Gonzalez Secretary of Justice Padre Faura Street, Manila Direct Line 521-8344; 5213721 Trunkline 523-84-81 loc.214Telefax 521-1614 E-mail: sad@doj.gov.ph <http://us.f584.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=sad@doj.gov.ph> or log on to http://www.doj.gov.ph/contact.html Hon. Purificacion V. Quisumbing Chairperson, Commission on Human Rights SAAC Bldg., UP Complex Commonwealth Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City Philippines Fax: (+632) 929 0102 E-mail: drpvq@chr.gov.ph <http://us.f584.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=apnr@chr.gov.ph>
Please send a copy of your email/mail/fax to the said government official to the address below: KARAPATAN (Alliance for the Advancement of People's Rights)-National Office 2/F Erythrina Bldg. Maaralin cor. Matatag Streets, Brgy. Central, Quezon City 1100 PHILIPPINES Voice/Fax: (+632) 435 4146 E-mail addresses and websites: karapatan@tri-isys.com <http://us.f584.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=karapatan@tri-isys.com> karapatan.pid@gmail.com <http://us.f584.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=karapatan.pid@gmail.com> desap_hr@yahoo.com STOP THE KILLINGS IN THE PHILIPPINES 2/F Erythrina Bldg., #1 Maaralin cor Matatag Sts., Barangay Central, Quezon City 1101 Philippines 63 (2) 4342837 www.stopthekillings.org
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