Task Force Detainees of the Philippines

Dear Friends,

Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP) and Mindanao People’s Caucus (MPC) write to inform you about the arrest and alleged torture committed to a native of the Yakan tribe in Barangay Libug, Sumisip, Basilan Province, island of Mindanao.  He was arrested on July 23, 2011 at about 5:30 in the morning. The alleged perpetrators were members of Special Operation Task Force Basilan (SOTF-B) belonging to 39th Scout Rangers under the command of Colonel Alexander Macario.

VICTIM                         Abdul-Khan Balinting Ajid, 39 years old, married   
DATE OF INCIDENT        July 23, 2011 at about 5:30 a.m.
PLACE OF INCIDENT      Barangay Libug, Sumisip, Basilan Province

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CASE BACKGROUND:

Abdul-Khan Balinting Ajid, a native of a Yakan tribe, and a baker for eight (8) years was forcibly taken inside their house on July 23, 2011 at about 5:30 in the morning, in Barangay Libug, Sumisip, Basilan Province, and later tortured by his captors. The alleged perpetrators were members of Special Operation Task Force Basilan (SOTF-B), belonging to 39th Scout Rangers under the command of Colonel Alexander Macario.

According to Noraisa Imban Induh, Ajid’s wife, midnight of July 22, they already sensed that there were some persons monitoring outside their house. At 4:30 the following morning, she and her wife were already awake. While Ajid was preparing the dough, a stone was thrown at their house and then somebody kicked the door and forcibly opened it.  A group of uniformed men wearing camouflage entered their house. Ajid was ordered to lie face down. He was kicked at the back and both of his hands were tied using a plastic straw.

Noraisa said that two (2) of their children who were present during the incident lost consciousness because of fear upon seeing soldiers with long firearms. The soldiers searched every part of their house and destroyed their belongings, as well as the ingredients and equipment in the bakery. Noraisa was asked if they possessed a gun. She answered in the negative.

After searching the house, the soldiers then grabbed Ajid who was still lying face down on the ground.  He was dragged out of the house and was made to walk towards an approaching six-by-six truck. Reportedly, there were about 40-50 soldiers involved. Ajid was told that he will be brought for investigation.

Ajid narrated that he was first brought to Magdal place and stayed there for 15 minutes.  They then passed by Tipo-tipo, Basilan and went to a military brigade. He was blindfolded throughout their travel but he managed to see a little bit so he was able to recognize the place where he was brought to.

Photo by Medical Action Group

Human rights violations are spreading out from Central Luzon to Basilan, where cases of torture and extrajudicial killings have begun to pile up, President Benigno S. Aquino III should now act and take concrete steps to resolve the human rights violations attributed to state security forces in pursuance of internal security policies, and to free all political prisoners unconditionally, human rights groups and non-government organizations said.

“But with no clear-cut national human rights agenda, P-Noy has been contented in being a passive spectator, leaving the victims of human rights violations and their relatives on their own. This can only serve to throw the spotlight that P-Noy can be nearly exact in the same position as GMA if he chooses rhetoric over concrete actions on human rights,”Max M. de Mesa, Chairperson, Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA) said.

If we all have to go by to measure the effects of “matuwid na daan” is periodic boasting by P-Noy that “war on corruption is gaining ground” and peace effort is on the right track. We would like to know how. We do not see how the military’s so-called “paradigm shift” can pull this off, the human rights groups said.

PRESS STATEMENT

June 29, 2011

The Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP) welcomes the challenge posed by Police Superintendent Antonio Rivera and Philippine Army 10^th Infantry Division Chief Major General Jorge V. Segovia on the issue of torture.  TFDP views Rivera’s statement that “…as far as the PNP is concern bawal ang torture sa amo pati sa military especially we have the Anti-Torture Law” as a positive sign that the state authorities are aware that torture should never be used.

It is unfortunate, however, that this recognition from the police and the military is far from what is actually being practiced among their ranks.

The video that came out last year of how a robbery suspect was allegedly being tortured by Sr. Inspector Joselito Binayug now comes to mind.