Aquino must order AFP to disclose truth about Jonas

News Release | Bagong Alyansang Makabayan

April 1, 2013

The umbrella group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan today  called on President Benigno Aquino III to order the Armed Forces of the Philippines to disclose all relevant information on the abduction of Jonas Burgos, regardless of the negative impact it will have on the AFP.

The challenge came a day after the family of Jonas filed an ex parte motion before the Supreme Court based on newly discovered evidence that the military was indeed involved in the abduction of Jonas. Edith Burgos, mother of Jonas, submitted to the High Court a sealed envelope containing what she described as AFP records of Jonas abduction, including an after-apprehension report, names of the operatives who carried out the abduction, a photo of Jonas while in custody, a psycho-social report and a “biography” of Jonas.

The Court of Appeals, in a ruling last month, also found the AFP and its official, Major Harry Baliaga, accountable for the enforced disappearance of Jonas.

“There is a renewed clamor for the AFP to surface Jonas and to reveal all information related to his abduction. As commander-in-chief, it is the duty of Aquino to ensure that the AFP cooperates fully with the courts and other institutions. Aquino’s silence or lack of interest can mean that he is tolerating the cover-up. So far the statement made by the AFP spokesman– that the AFP will cooperate–sounds more like an April Fool’s joke than a declaration of policy,” said Bayan secretary general Renato M. Reyes, Jr.

“Aquino must give clear and firm instructions to AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Emmanuel Bautista to fully disclose all information on the abduction of Jonas . The AFP can do this even without any court order. The AFP cannot feign ignorance. The AFP must reveal the truth. Already, there is new evidence coming to light pointing to the involvement of the military,” he added.

Bayan said that for the past five years, the AFP has not done much in terms of revealing the truth, preferring instead to cover up the tracks of the perpetrators. The Burgos family and human rights groups such as Karapatan have done their own investigation into the abduction minus any help or cooperation from the AFP leadership.

“There is no doubt in the minds of the court, and in the minds of the public, that the AFP is involved in the abduction. The big question is, when will the AFP finally reveal the truth about the fate of Jonas? Where is Jonas?” Reyes said.

“On this matter, the President must impress on the entire AFP leadership, that it is now time to come clean. It is time to end the cover-up. More than the sorties of the Liberal Party, this matter deserves the utmost attention of the President,” Reyes added. ###

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Message to My Desaparecido

by JL Burgos

Families of the disappeared remember their missing loved ones during the International Day of the Disappeared at Plaza Miranda, Manila, Philippines. August 30, 2012.

VIDEO | Dead or alive? Families remain clueless as they join day to remember ‘disappeared’ loved ones

Tricia Aquino | InterAksyon.com

MANILA, Philippines – Twenty-one-year-old Mirasol Laher of Quezon province could neither mourn nor find closure for the loss of her husband Felix Balaston.

Losing him didn’t mean that Mirasol was certain that her husband died. She recalled that at about 8 a.m., a year ago, Felix left their house to harvest banana bud and buy rice for lunch.

“Nag-antay-antay ako ng tanghali, tapos walang dumating [ I waited for him until noon but he never came back],” said Mirasol.

After three days, Mirasol learned that Felix was abducted by soldiers because he was allegedly a member of the communist New People’s Army.

After learning about the abduction, Mirasol didn’t know what happened next to her husband. She wants to believe that Felix is still alive and will soon be reunited with her and their child but there are times Mirasol fears that her husband is already dead.

On Thursday, August 30,  during the International Day of the Disappeared, Mirasol joined other families at Plaza Miranda in Quiapo, Manila in remembering their lost loved ones.

The gathering, led by the non-government human rights group Karapatan and Desaparecidos, an organization of the families of the victims of enforced disappearances, urged the government to address the cases of those who got lost without a trace.

According to the groups, there is a pattern that shows that state agents are the ones behind enforced disapperances – they abduct the victim and then deny that the abduction took place.

The groups said the same pattern had happened to the abduction case of Lilia Devero’s husband, Jully, of Negros Occidental.

In May last year, local police went to  the home of the Deveros and accused July of monopolizing the gathering  of charcoal in their area.  Jully denied the charge. He said that while he did collect charcoal, he only did so from their own land.

Lilia recounted that the angry policemen threatened Jully that they would return for him. Two months later, seven men allegedly from the Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade barged into the home of the Deveros and accused Jully of hiding guns at their residence.

Finding none, the men tied Jully and brought him to the home of one of his children. Lilia insisted on coming with them. It was here that the RPA-ABB allegedly received a call from their “bossing,” who instructed them to take Jully away. They told Lilia not to worry. They said they would bring Jully back the following day.

Morning came, and Jully was nowhere to be found. Lilia learned that two more farmers were abducted that night, and more were hurt.

She reported the incident to the police, as well as to a congressman. She was given P3,000 for her trouble, but no other help arrived. Today, she and her family live in fear. They no longer have a home in the 13-hectare land that they used to tend for the owners who live abroad.

American mission worker for the United Church of Christ, Rebecca Lawson, understands the plight of people like Mirasol and Lilia, who until now do not know what actually happened to their husbands.

“This right should really be respected. And I would appeal to the Aquino administration to take seriously this issue because it would do a great deal of good for the peace and justice situation of the Philippines if these families could know what happened to their loved ones. And for those who are currently detained, if there are any who are still alive, [I hope that they will] be surfaced and for them to be properly given due justice,” said Lawson.

As her Church has a “very strong stand for peace and human rights,” Lawson assists families in documenting cases and bringing these to the court. She also helps families of the disappeared address other concerns like keeping the children in school and relocating families who no longer feel safe in their homes.

“As a church worker, I pray for the whole of the Philippines that this would be something that could be brought to an end,” said Lawson. “This could very much be helped by addressing the situation of impunity – meaning that people who have done these things are allowed to go unpunished. If people are really held accountable for their actions, this situation can end,” said Lawson.