UA Date: 15 March 2006
UA Title: Labor leader abducted, while former union leader is harassed by government soldiers in Bulacan, Philippines
UA Case: Threat/Harassment/Intimidation, abduction, illegal arrest and enforced disappearance
Victim/s: Rogelio Concepcion (abducted)
· 36 years old, married
· Male
· A resident of San Ildefonso, Bulacan, Philippines
· A worker at the Solid Development Corporation
· Officer-in-Charge of Solid Development Corporation, Union
Ador Vasalio (harassed)
· Male
· A resident of San Ildefonso, Bulacan, Philippines
· A worker at the Solid Development Corporation
· Former president of the Solid Development Corporation, Union
Place of Incident: Provincial Road of Purok I, Abaca, Mabini, Bohol infront of the house of Gregorio
Fostanes near Dairyand Meat Processing Center
Date of Incident: 6 March 2006 at around 10:00 pm
Allege Perpetrators: suspected members of the 24th Infantry Battalion of the Armed Forces of the
Philippines
Account of Incident -
According to witnesses, on March 6 2006, Rogelio Concepcion, an officer-in-charge of the workers union of Solid Development Corp. was abducted by unidentified men but suspected to be elements of the 24th Infantry Battalion of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
When Rogelio failed to arrive home that night, his wife, Marissa suspected that something bad might have happened to him because he usually leaves the factory at 10:00 PM and since they live just nearby, Rogelio would arrive home a few minutes after.
Rogelio's wife likewise recalled having spotted a van parked near their house up to the late night of March 6, the day before her husband failed to come home.
Prior to the incident, workers at the factory state that sometime November 2005 elements of the 24th Infantry Battalion entered the factory of Solid Development Corp. and set up a continuous watch on the workers of Solid Development. Several workers were also under surveillance, among them, Concepcion and Ador Vasalio, the former president of the union.
Rogelio remains missing up to this day. While presently, Vasalio is still actively being monitored by the military because they suspect him of being a member of the New People's Army. They have put up some sort of a station inside the Solid Development Compound to intimidate the workers of the factory.
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 abduction, illegal arrest and enforced disappearance of Rogelio Concepcion as well as the threat/harassment/intimidation of Ador Vasalio;
2. The arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators of the crime/s of abduction, illegal arrest and enforced disappearance, threat/harassment and intimidation;
3. The immediate and proper indemnification of the victims; and
4. 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 its provisions.
You may send your communications to:
President of the Republic
Malacanang Palace,
JP Laurel St., San Miguel
Manila Philippines
Voice: (+632) 564 1451 to 80
Fax: (+632) 742-1641 / 929-3968
Cell#: (+ 63) 919 898 4622 / (+63) 917 839 8462
E-mail: corres@op.gov.ph / opnet@ops.gov.ph
Hon. Rene V. Sarmiento
*Office of the Peace Process
7th Floor Agustin Building I
Emerald Avenue
Pasig City 1605
Voice:+63 (2) 636 0701 to 066
Mobile:
Fax:+63 (2) 635 9579
Hon. Avelino J. Cruz,
Jr.
Secretary
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
osnd@philonline.com
Hon. Raul M. Gonzalez
Secretary, Department of Justice
Padre Faura St., Manila
Direct Line 521-8344;
5213721
Trunkline 523-84-81 loc.214
Fax: (+632) 521-1614
Email
sad@doj.gov.ph
Chairperson, Commission on Human Rights
SAAC Bldg., UP Complex
Commonwealth Avenue
Diliman, Quezon City
Philippines
Fax: (+632) 929 0102
Email: drpvq@chr.gov.ph
Please send us a copy of your email/mail/fax to the said government official to our address below.
URGENT ACTION Prepared by:
KARAPATAN (Alliance for the Advancement of People's Rights)-National Office
43 Masikap St. Barangay Pinyahan, Quezon City 1100 PHILIPPINES
Voice: (+632) 435 4146 / Fax: (+632) 928 6078
Emails: < karapatan@tri-isys.com > / karapatan@edsamail.com.ph
Website: www.karapatan.org