Torture Update: Number of Victims of Torture Increases

December 1, 2009

Four (4) indigenous peoples belonging to the Dumagat tribe were added to the list of illegally arrested and tortured. Aside from the fact that the incident took place during the Human Rights Week celebration, it was barely a month since the enactment of the Anti-Torture law.

February 2010

Forty three (43) health workers, now known as the Morong 43, were illegally arrested and allegedly tortured.

March 12, 2010

TFDP documented the case of illegal arrest and torture of Hilo Idlao Aytag, 38 years old of Panaytayan, Mansalay, Oriental Mindoro, a member of Mangyan tribe. He was tortured by members of the 4th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army to force him to disclose his alleged membership to the rebel group New Peoples’ Army (NPA).

Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP) documented 585 victims of torture in the Philippines under the term of office of the outgoing president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. TFDP records show that there are 271 political prisoners and political detainees as of June 15, 2010.
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