Letter
to Professor Philip Alston Attachments |
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16 May
2008
PROFESSOR PHILIP ALSTON
Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or
Arbitrary Executions
Special Adviser, Human Rights Commission
UNITED NATIONS
Dear Professor Alston:
From our last letter dated March 10, 2008 up to the
present, attacks made by the New People’s Army (NPA)
totaled to Twenty One (21) as gathered from various
media sources. This is in addition to the Forty One (41)
incidents mentioned in our last letter. The NPA
continues to attack government facilities as well as
private entities which refuse to pay revolutionary
taxes. Globe telecommunications cellular sites are a
constant target of the said rebel group. Attached is a
summary of these incidents for your reference.
On the other hand, please be informed that the
government has been trying to address your
recommendations in the most viable ways. As a matter of
fact, from the time that Task Force 211 was created on
November 26, 2007 (which coincidentally was the same
date when your report was released) until May 16, 2008,
we have succeeded in causing significant movements on
Thirty Four (34) extra legal killings cases. More
specifically, through Task Force 211 and the Philippine
National Police’s joint and intensified efforts to
arrest Mayor Alfredo Arsenio, accused in the murder of
radio broadcaster Herson Hinolan, said Mayor was
constrained to turn himself in to the court. The Task
Force also located Roderick dela Cruz, accused in the
famous Hacienda Luisita case, and as I write, the Armed
Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is turning him over to
the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for his
eventual surrender to the court hearing his case.
Furthermore, two (2) cases previously dismissed for lack
of evidence or witnesses were re-filed in court, and
three (3) cases were adjudicated by courts after trial
on the merits. A cold case (case previously without any
evidence or witnesses) was revived and is now pending
trial in court. Another case that was previously
undergoing police investigation was also filed in court.
Seven cases pending at prosecutor’s level were finally
filed for prosecution at court level, including that of
17-year old victim Reagan Ibabao who was killed while in
detention at a police precinct. Attached is a list of
the above-mentioned cases for your guidance.
Rest assured that Task Force 211 will continue to work
on the resolution of the extra legal killings cases that
we have been actively monitoring. We shall update you on
the further developments on these cases. Please be
advised that we have been in the internet since January
of this year and you may visit our website at
taskforce211.com.ph.
Thank you.
Truly yours,
UNDERSECRETARY RICARDO R. BLANCAFLOR
Chairman, TASK FORCE 211 (“Task Force Against Political
Violence”)
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