Published on Karapatan (http://www.karapatan.org/)
Four members of a local KMP chapter massacred by elements of the 9th IBPA in Mobo, Masbate
By admin
Created 09/21/2010 - 20:04

UA case type: 
Massacre
Victim(s): 
Vicente Flores
  • 41 years old, male, farmer, married with 4 children
Richard Oliva
  • 44 years old, male, farmer, married with 2 children
Melecio Monacillo
  • 45 years old, male, farmer, married with 3 children
Jonathan Monacillo
  • 21 years old, male, single, graduating student of Sta. Maria National High School
  • Son of Melecio
All were members of Masbate People's Organization (MAPO), a local chapter of Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) or Philippine Peasant Movement

All residents of Brgy. Mapuyo, Mobo, Masbate 

Place of the incident: 
Sitio Irong-irong in the boundary of Brgy. Mapuyo and Brgy. Mabuhay, Mobo, Masbate
Date of the incident: 
7 September 2010, at around 12:30 PM
Alledged perpetrator(s): 
elements of the 9th Infantry Battalion, Philippine Army (IBPA) based in Brgy. Armenia, Uson, Masbate 

On 7 September 2010, at around 9:00 AM, neighbors Vicente, Richard and Melecio agreed to go hunting in the forested area at the boundary of Brgy. Mapuyo and Brgy. Mabuhay.  Melecio's son, Jonathan, tagged along with them.

After around 12:00 noon, they rested at the house of Eliseo and Rosie Albao.  Rosie and her children were the ones left at home because Eliseo worked as a hired help cutting grass in one of their neighbor's farm.  The four, tired from their hunting, fell asleep right away.  

At around 12:30 PM, an undetermined number of soldiers attached to the 9th IBPA appeared from uphill, passed by Rosie's house and without any explanation, stormed inside and peppered the sleeping farmers with bullets as they were sound asleep.  Richard, wounded from the first volley of gunfire, was able to jump out of the window but was sprayed with bullets by the remaining soldiers outside of the house.  The three died instantly.

Rosie and her children, shocked by the assault ran as fast as they could away from their house.  Eliseo heard the gunfire and saw a massive cloud of smoke from the direction of their house.  He ran quickly home to check and was shocked to see the carnage.  Vicente's genitalia was smashed by the bullets; his abdominal area burst open; his guts spilled to the floor and his hand was almost severed from his arm.   One of Melecio's shoulders was shattered and he bore gunshot wounds in the leg.  Jonathan, who might have been lying on his stomach, had gunshot wounds on his back and on his jaw that pierced through the top of his skull.  Eliseo found Richard’s body outside of the house with his skull smashed from the bullet wounds and his body riddled with bullets.  Eliseo’s family was nowhere to be found.

The soldiers, who left the area after ensuring that the victims were all dead, proceeded to the direction of Brgy. Sta. Maria.  Upon arriving there, they ordered the village officials to retrieve the bodies of four New People's Army (NPA) they allegedly killed in an encounter in Sitio Irong-irong and instructed them to bring the corpses to the Municipal Hall in Mobo.  After which, the soldiers went on their way without even waiting to see if their order was carried out.

The remains of the four victims were brought to Mobo and their relatives went there to claim them.

It was learned that the soldiers went on a rampage as part of their hot pursuit operation when a group of policemen were ambushed by alleged NPA members on 31 May 2010 in Brgy. Marintoc.  The day after the ambush, the soldiers tortured and killed Borromeo Cabilis and Julito Etang in Brgy. Baang (refer to UA No: 2010-06-01 [1]).  Since then, the residents of the hinterland barangays of Mobo lived in constant fear.

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 massacre of Vicente Flores, Richard Oliva, Melecio Monacillo and Jonathan Monacillo;
  2. The arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators of the crime/s of massacre;
  3. The immediate and proper indemnification of the victims; 
  4. 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”; and
  5. 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
http://www.president.gov.ph/contact/default.aspx
 
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


Secretary Leila M. 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 (at) karapatan.org
Website: www.karapatan.org 

 

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Source URL: http://www.karapatan.org/UA2010-09-06-Mobo-massacre

Links:
[1] http://www.karapatan.org/2010-06-01-Farmers-killed-Masbate