PAHRA reiterates urgency for Benigno S. Aquino, Chief Executive and Commander-in-Chief: Order Fair and Speedy Resolution of Landmark PICOP 6 Case

11 February 2011
PRESS RELEASE

Reference: Candy Diez (0927) 4012416

The Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates calls on President Benigno Aquino III to expedite the resolution of multiple murder case against 12 members of the AFP. Six workers of the Paper Industries Corporation of the Philippines (PICOP) were disappeared in October 14, 2000 with strong evidences of the involvement of 12 members of the 62nd Infantry Battalion assigned in Agusan del Sur.

“The families of the PICOP 6 workers have been waiting for more than ten years for justice. There are incidents which proves that accused military personnel are working to prevent the truth from coming out.  As chief executive and commander in chief, President Aquino must give clear instructions to agencies and institutions under his responsibility and command to exercise extraordinary due diligence to resolve fairly and speedily the landmark PICOP 6 multiple-murder case.” Max de Mesa, PAHRA chairperson said.

Former Sgt. Esequias Duyogan, the key witness on the multiple murder case, is currently under threat. He survived an attempted ambush in August 2010 in which he identified two of the armed men as among the accused soldiers in the case. In January 2011, there were reported attempts to the lives of his wife and two children. Unidentified men climbed up the family’s roof while the following morning, two bonnet-wearing men circled their home.

AFAD's Unsilenced Part 02 of 02

AFAD's Unsilenced - Part 01 of 02.avi

PAHRA Urgent Appeal: PICOP 6 key witness to 10 year enforced disappearance case under threat

I.    Background of the case

In October 14, 2000, six workers of the Paper Industries Corporation of the Philippines (PICOP) were forcibly disappeared at Barangay Sta. Maria, Trento, Agusan del Sur.

The 6 workers - Joseph Belar, Jovencio Lagare, Romualdo Orcullo, Diosdado Oliver, Artemio Ayala and Arnold Dangkiasan were at the entrance of a videoke bar when Corporal Rodrigo Billones from the 62nd Infantry Battalion, 8th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army herded the six kargador  (carrier) of logs to the military camp. A friend of the missing workers, Crispin Barot, was able to evade the abduction by concealing himself in the crowd. He saw the six workers being held at gunpoint from the peryahan (village carnival) and brought inside the army camp gate.

With the assistance of the Families of Victims of Involuntary Disappearance (FIND), the relatives immediately inquired as to the whereabouts of the six workers from the authorities in the military camp. However, the said authorities denied custody of the disappeared workers. PICOP 6 relatives Artemio Ayala, Sr. and Macaria Lagare, recounted how they were prohibited from entering the military camp and were only allowed to go inside when they were accompanied by the mayor, vice-mayor and baranggay chairperson after six days.