Chairperson of a local chapter of a national farmers’ organization shot to death by elements of the 11th IBPA in Guihulngan, Negros Oriental, Philippines

On 30 September 2010, Rene “Toto” Quirante and Romeo Gador went to Sitio Amomoyong to  meet with KAUGMAON members.  The meeting lasted until late in the afternoon.  Since Sitio Amomoyong is quite far from Sitio Labaklabakan, the two decided to spend the night at Neneng Nilles house (Romeo's relative).

UA No: 2010-10-01
UA Date        :    1 October 2010
UA Case        :     Summary Execution
Victim/s        :     Rene “Toto” Quirante
·    48 years old, farmer, married with 5 children
·    A resident of Sitio Labaklabakan, Brgy. Trinidad, Guihulngan, Negros Oriental
·    Chairperson, Kapunungan Alang sa Ugma sa mga Mag-uuma sa Oriental Negros-KAUGMAON, an affiliate of Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) “Philippine Peasant Movement”
·    Former political detainee

UA Case        :    Physical Assault, Threat/Harassment/Intimidation
Victim/s        :    Romeo Gador
·    38 years old, farmer, married with 3 children
·    A resident of Sitio Labaklabakan, Brgy. Trinidad, Guihulngan, Negros Oriental
·    Member, Kapunungan Alang sa Ugma sa mga Mag-uuma sa Oriental Negros--KAUGMAON, an affiliate of Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) “Philippine Peasant Movement”

UA Case        :    Violation of Domicile, Physical Assault,     
                Threat/Harassment/Intimidation
Victim/s        :    Neneng Nilles and her 9 children
Place of Incident    :    Sitio Amomoyong, Brgy Trinidad, Guihulngan, Negros Oriental
Date of Incident    :    1 October 2010, at around 2:00 in the morning

Alleged Perpetrator(s):    around 30 armed elements of the 11th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army ( 11th IBPA) accompanied by a certain Dennis, a known rebel returnee in the area

Account of the Incident:

On 30 September 2010, Rene “Toto” Quirante and Romeo Gador went to Sitio Amomoyong to  meet with KAUGMAON members.  The meeting lasted until late in the afternoon.  Since Sitio Amomoyong is quite far from Sitio Labaklabakan, the two decided to spend the night at Neneng Nilles house (Romeo's relative).

At around 2:00 AM, they heard a male voice calling from outside telling them to open the door.  The caller claimed to be a member of the New People's Army (NPA).  No one from inside the house acknowledged the call.  Then the caller forcibly opened the door lock and entered the house. The victims tried to prevent them from entering but they were overpowered.  

It was then that the people inside the house saw around 30 soldiers in the yard in full uniform and armed with rifles.  They also recognized Dennis, a known rebel returnee, together with the soldiers.  Neneng and her 9 children, the youngest of whom is aged 2, were awakened and terrorized of what transpired.  The assailants went straight to Toto and started beating him with the butt of their rifles.  They were forcing him to admit that he was an NPA member.  Romeo and Neneng tried to help Toto but they too were assaulted by the soldiers.  All these happened in front of the terrified children.

The soldiers dragged Toto to the veranda and continued to assault him.  Then they dragged him down on the ground and shot him twice on the head and one on the chest at close range.  They immediately left the area after the shooting.  Romeo heard one of the soldiers shout, “Tinlo na!” (It's clear!).

Toto Quirante was “arrested” on 24 March 2007 on a trumped up charge of Illegal Possession of Firearms filed by the military linking him to an ambush that killed 3 soldiers of the 11th IBPA. The charge was dismissed at the prosecutor level. He was very vocal against the military’s setting up of a detachment and Barangay Defense System (BDS) in the interior villages of Guihulngan, Negros Oriental and against human rights violations. He was publicly demonized and vilified by the military over their radio program.

Recommended Action:

Send 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 summary execution of Rene “Toto” Quirante and the physical assault and threat/harassment/intimidation of Romeo Gador and Neneng Nilles and her family.
2.    The military to stop the labeling and targeting of human rights defenders as “members of front organizations of the communists” and “enemies of the state.”
3.    The Philippine Government to withdraw its counterinsurgency program Oplan Bantay Laya (Operation Freedom Watch).
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.

You may send your communications to:

 


H.E. Benigno C. Aquino III
President of the Republic of the Philippines
Malacañang Palace,
JP Laurel St., San Miguel
Manila, Philippines
Voice: (+632) 564 1451 to 80
Fax: (+632) 742-1641 / 929-3968
E-mail: corres@op.gov.ph
 
Sec. Teresita Quintos-Deles
Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process
Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP)
7th Floor Agustin Building I
Emerald Avenue
Pasig City 1605
Voice:+63 (2) 636 0701 to 066
Fax:+63 (2) 638 2216
E-Mail Address: osec@opapp.gov.ph

Ret. Lt. Gen. Voltaire T. Gazmin
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



Email: osnd@philonline.com

Atty. Leila De Lima
Secretary, Department of Justice
Padre Faura St., Manila
Direct Line 521-8344; 5213721
Trunkline  523-84-81 loc.214
Fax: (+632) 521-1614
Email:  soj@doj.gov.ph


Hon.  Loretta Ann P. Rosales
Chairperson
Commission on Human Rights
SAAC Bldg., UP Complex
Commonwealth Avenue
Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
Voice: (+632) 928-5655, 926-6188
Fax: (+632) 929 0102
Email:   chair.rosales.chr@gmail.com, lorettann@gmail.com


Please send us a copy of your email/mail/fax to the above-named government officials, to our address below.

URGENT ACTION Prepared by:


KARAPATAN (Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights)
National Office
2/F Erythrina Bldg., #1 Maaralin cor Matatag Sts., Brgy. Central, Diliman, Quezon City 1100 PHILIPPINES
Voice/Fax: (+632) 435 4146
Email: urgentaction@karapatan.org
Website: www.karapatan.org