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Two more human rights activists murdered in Mindoro Oriental, Philippines
by Karapatan
Saturday, Feb. 14, 2004 at 6:05 PM
karapatan@edsamail.com.ph
Urgent Action Alert: Summary Execution
UA date: 13 February 2004
UA title: Two more human rights activists murdered in Mindoro Oriental, Philippines
I. UA case: Summary Execution
II. Victims :
Vice Mayor Juvy M. Magsino
- Female
- 34 years old, single
- Vice Mayor of Naujan, Mindoro Oriental, Philippines
- Chairperson of Mindoro for Justice and Peace
- Chairperson of the Vice Mayors' League - Mindoro Oriental,
Philippines
- Human Rights Lawyer
- Honorary Member of Gabriela
- Candidate for Mayor of Naujan, Mindoro Oriental, Philippines endorsed by Bayan Muna, Partylist Group for the May 2004, National
Elections
- A resident of Barangay Adrealuna, Naujan, Mindoro Oriental,
Philippines
Leima Fortu
- Female
- 27 years old, single
- Acting Secretary-General of KARAPATAN-Mindoro Oriental
- Volunteer Staff of Mindoro for Justice and Peace
- Member of Bayan Muna - Calapan City
- Public School Teacher at the Suqui Elementary School,
Calapan,Mindoro Oriental, Philippines
- A resident of Barangay Maidlang, Calapan City, Mindoro Oriental,
Philippines
III. Date : 13 February 2004 at about 11:00 PM
IV. Place : Brgy. Amuguis, Naujan, Mindoro Oriental, Philippines
V. Perpetrators: Elements of the 204th Infantry Brigade, whose
Commanding
Officer is Col. Ferdinand L. Mesa with General Headquarters at
Pinagsabangan Uno, Naujan, Mindoro Oriental, Philippines under
the 2nd Infantry Division of which Col. Jovito Palparan, Jr. is
Deputy Commander; A para-military group and incumbent Mayor
Norberto Mendoza of Naujan, Mindoro Oriental, Philippines
VI. Summary of Incident:
At around 11:00 PM of February 13, 2004, Vice Mayor Juvy Magsino,
34 years old and a resident of Barangay Adrealuna, Naujan, Mindoro
Oriental, Philippines along Leima Fortu, 27 years old and a resident of
Barangay Maidlang, Calapan, Mindoro Oriental, Philippines were on their way
to Vice Mayor Magsino's friend to get a computer in Pinagsabangan,
Naujan, Mindoro Oriental. After passing through a place called "Curba" in
Pinagsabangan going to Amuguis, they were already being tailed by
elements believed to belong to the 204th Infantry Brigade of the Philippine
Army. In Barangay Amuguis, the two men on board a motorcycle with no
plate number peppered the Vice Mayor's vehicle with bullets. Witnesses
claimed that the two were armed with a 9mm and an armalite. The
General Headquarters of the 204th Infantry Brigade was only a hundred
meters away from the ambush site.
Vice Mayor Magsino suffered three gunshot wounds on her head without
exit points; and one each on her chest, shoulder and neck. Leima also had
gunshot wounds on her chest, near her right ear, knee and shoulder.
At the time of her death Vice Mayor Magsino was the Chairperson of
Mindoro for Justice and Peace, Chairperson of the Vice Mayors' League in
Mindoro Oriental, Philippines, honorary member of Gabriela and was running
for Mayor of Naujan against the incumbent Mayor Norberto Mendoza. She
was also a known human rights lawyer for KARAPATAN-Mindoro Oriental
and the fisherfolks group PAMALAKAYA-Mindoro Oriental.
Leima Fortu was a public school teacher at the Suqui Elementary School
in Calapan, Mindoro Oriental, Philippines. She was Acting Secretary General
of KARAPATAN-Mindoro Oriental, a volunteer staff of Mindoro for Justice
and Peace and a member of the partylist group Bayan Muna - Calapan
City Chapter.
Prior to her death, Vice Mayor Magsino was known to be very vocal
against former 204th IBPA Commanding Officer Col. Jovito Palparan, Jr.
and the increasing military deployment in the island province.
KARAPATAN-Southern Tagalog spokesperson Irein Cuasay, told the
KARAPATAN National Office that Vice Mayor Magsino had recently called
her a few days before she was shot dead. Vice Mayor Magsino informed
Irein that she had received two death threats claiming that she would no
longer live beyond February 15, 2004.
Her body lies in state at the Varcenaga Funeral Homes in Naujan, Mindoro
Oriental, Philippines. The place is teeming with military men and a soldier
reportedly took a picture of the Vice Mayor's wake.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Send letters, emails or fax messages calling for:
- 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 summary execution of Vice Mayor Juvy Magsino and
Leima Fortu of Mindoro Oreintal, Philippines;
- The prosecution of the perpetrators of the crime of summary
execution by the 204th Infantry Brigade of the Philippine but by others as
well being employed by the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine
National Police (PNP) to commit atrocities against civilians and organized
individuals and groups;
- The immediate and proper indemnification of the family/relatives
of the victims; and
- The Philippine Government to be reminded that it is a signatory
of 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
its 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 / opn@ops.gov.ph
Hon. Teresita Deles
Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process
7F Agustin Building I
Emerald Avenue
Pasig City, Philippines
Voice: (+632) 636 0701 to 0766
Fax: (+632) 638 2216
Email: palaka@pacific.net.ph
Hon. Eduardo R. Ermita
Secretary, Department of National Defense
Camp Emilio Aguinaldo
E. de los Santos Avenue,
Quezon City, Philippines
Voice: (+632) 912-9281
Fax: (+632) 911 6213
Hon. Purificacion Valera Quisumbing
Chairperson, Commission on Human Rights
SAAC Bldg., UP Complex
Commonwealth Avenue
Diliman, Quezon City
Philippines
Fax: (+632) 929 0102
Email: drpvq@chr.gov.ph
Please send us a copy of your email/mail/fax to the said government
official to our address below:
URGENT ACTION Prepared by:
KARAPATAN (Alliance for the Advancement of People's Rights)-National
Office
43 Masikap St. Barangay Pinyahan, Quezon City 1100 PHILIPPINES
Voice: (+632) 435 4146 / Fax: (+632) 928 6078
Emails: ; / karapatan@edsamail.com.ph
Website: www.karapatan.org
www.karapatan.org
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