UA Date: 14 March 2006
UA Title: Peasant Leader shot dead in Bohol, Philippines
UA Case: Summary Execution
Victim/s: Nestor Arinque
· 39 years old, married and with five children
· Male
· A resident of Sitio Cabangahan, San Roque, Mabini, Bohol, Phils.
· Chairman of *Hugpong sa mga Mag-uuma sa Mabini (HUMABI) a municipal chapter of **Hugpong sa mga Mag-uumang Bol-anon-Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (HUMABOL-KMP) a province-wide farmers organization in Bohol
* United Peasants in Mabini
** United Boholano Peasants – Peasant Movement of the Philippines
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: 7 March 2006 at around 12:00 nn
Allege Perpetrators: three motorcycle riding gunmen
Account of Incident -
On March 7(Tuesday), 2006 at around 11:30 in the afternoon, Nestor Arinque and his wife were buying some goods during the market day at Brgy. San Roque (Cabulao), Mabini, Bohol. While Nestor's wife was busy buying some of the goods, Nestor was at the store owned by Tony Salaum with two other companions, the other one was a CAFGU member from Brgy. Abaca, Mabini, Bohol.
Thirty (30) minutes later, a drunken old man named Jorge Tutor, 60 years old, approached Nestor and requested the latter to bring him home to Brgy. Abaca, Mabini, Bohol where the old man resides. Nestor was used to drive home Jorge Tutor every time the old man got drunk because the old man trusted Nestor and knew that Nestor would take care of him. So, without hesitation Nestor carried Jorge Tutor on his motorcycle to his (Jorge) house in Brgy. Abaca, Mabini, Bohol.
When they reached Purok 1 of Brgy. Abaca, in front of the house of a certain Gregorio Fostanes near the Dairy and Meat Processing Center, Nestor stopped to fix his motorcycle's chain, while Jorge went on the side of the road to urinate. All of a sudden, one motorcycle with two (2) back riders without wearing masks and their driver wearing a bonnet suddenly stopped and immediately fired several shots at Nestor. He died instantly. Nestor incurred eleven (11) gun shot wounds all over his body from a .45 caliber pistol.
Background:
Prior to this incident, Nestor's wife reported that on March 2, 2006, at around 11:00AM, some elements of 15th IB PA based at Sitio Mahayag, Brgy. San Roque, Mabini, Bohol and some CAFGU members, were sitting at the front yard of Nestor's house. Nestor asked them why they were there, the military merely answered that they were just roaming around. He knew some of them but there were those whose faces were unfamiliar to him. He also noticed that they were observing him and became uncomfortable with this and their unusual silence. Before the soldiers left for their detachment, Nestor invited them for lunch in his home but the men refused.
There were also several occasions when Nestor was invited by the military for interrogation to their detachment at Sitio Mahayag, Barangay San Roque, Mabini, but he firmly refused all of them. There were also times when the military found ways to talk to him and discourage him from actively involving with peasant causes, issues and further upholding his principles, but Nestor only engaged them in debates and defended his principles. Because of this, he was put on the military's so-called Order of Battle (OB).
He was also one of the three leaders, the other two being Rev. Dodo Valliente of UCCP and Willy Boybanting, Chairman of HUMABOL, who were threatened by the relatives of a CAFGU who was killed by members of the New People's Army last March 7, 2006.
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 summary execution of Nestor Arinque.
2. The arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators of the crime/s of summary execution.
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