karapatan-central visayas
door 2-annex bldg., uccp-cendet cmpd., no.85 osmena blvd., cebu city   PHILIPPINES   6000
telefax no.: +6332-255-5549

 

NEWS RELEASE

25 August, 2008

 

Rights workers lashed out at text threats

Human rights defenders in Cebu are not taking lightly threats they have been receiving through text messages from suspected military agents since August 21, 2008.

The premier human rights umbrella Alliance for the Advancement of People Rights (KARAPATAN)-Central Visayas revealed that since Thursday suspected military agents codenamed "Joy" and "Benjie" have been sending them threats like, "I know what you are doing HR. Your time is up!!!," and "Stop your Fault-Finding Missions…or suffer the consequences!!!."

"Amidst continuing political killings, these threats are at the core of a smear-drive of the AFP to lay down the groundwork for target neutralization in accordance with the framework of its OPLAN Bantay LayaII," said Atty. Poch Cinco, chairperson of KARAPATAN-Cebu.

 

"This is part of a pathetic effort of the AFP Military Intelligence Group and Civil Relations Group to derail our continuing probe on mounting military abuses in Tamlang Valley, Negros Oriental. The area is site of the government's environmentally-destructive and economically-disruptive Biofuel projects, that the 3^rd Infantry Division is trying to protect," explained Atty. Cinco.

KARAPATAN revealed that each message are sent simultaneously to four of their staff using cellular numbers 09059393006 and 09096217843.

The group contacted these numbers in response but either they are unattended or unavailable.

The group vowed to take the matter before mobile cellular phone networks to protect their clients and trace the stalkers, the group said.###

 

 

Released by:

 

Vimarie Arcilla

Public Information Officer,

KARAPATAN-CV

Telefax No.:032-255-5549

 

KARAPATAN-Central Visayas at www.hrdefenders.wordpress.com.