HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH

UN Official, CHR Call for Investigation of Sacked Kalinga Police Chief

Even as controversial Kalinga police Chief Supt. Pedro Ramos, was relieved from his post to create a “climate of trust” between police investigators and relatives of victims of political killings, calls for an investigation on his alleged involvement or negligence in the spate of killings in the province remain.

BY ACE ALEGRE
Bulatlat

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet (250 kms north of Manila) – Even as controversial Kalinga police chief Supt. Pedro Ramos, was relieved from his post to create a “climate of trust” between police investigators and relatives of victims of political killings, calls for an investigation on his alleged involvement or negligence in the spate of killings in the province remain.

Cordillera police spokesman Supt. Joseph Adnol who earlier said that Ramos was doing a good job in Kalinga explained that the Cordillera police leadership decided to “ship out” Ramos “to remove doubts regarding the conduct of the investigation of the (Claver) case as he is being accused by some sectors in Kalinga for alleged negligence in the investigation of the case.”

The controversial police director earlier earned criticisms over a rash of unsolved killings including the July 31 armed attack on Bayan Muna provincial chairman Constancio Claver, his wife Alice and their 11 year old daughter Cassandra. Alice, 42, died while Claver remains hospitalized.

Ramos’ relief was also sought earlier by various groups here and abroad including United Nations (UN) Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues chairperson Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, a Cordilleran,  who sent a letter to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Defense chief Avelino Cruz, and other security
officials.

Tauli-Corpuz pushed for a probe on Ramos “for his possible role in these dastardly acts.” The UN official also furnished a copy of her letter to the Commission on Human Rights, Department of Foreign Affairs, National Commission on Indigenous Peoples and Prof. Rodolfo Stavenhagen of the Geneva-based UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedom of Indigenous People. 

CHR chairman Valera Quisumbing has also ordered the investigation of Ramos and some of his men after receiving a complaint from Lanie Gubiangan, who said that the police allegedly tortured and killed her husband Noel Gubiangan and his companion, Elmer Gallema in May this year.

Rash of unsolved killings

Meanwhile, Damian is faced with the task of solving the rash of alleged “extrajudicial killings” in Kalinga that reportedly began when Ramos took over the police command from Senior Supt. James Dugao in March 8 this year.

At least 16 civilians were reportedly killed and seven were wounded in 12 violent incidents from March 7 to July 31, 2006.  

On June 8, Bayan Muna Kalinga vice chairperson Rafael “Markus” Bangit and school principal Gloria Casuga were shot to death at San Isidro, Echague town, Isabela by hooded killers. Bangit’s family believed the killers trailed him from Tabuk town.  

On June 28, farmer Nicolas Dammay was shot and hit on the left arm in his house at Malagnat, Pinukpuk. The assailants mistook him for his brother Tomas, a regional council member of the peasant group Alyansa dagiti Pesante iti Taeng - Kordilyera (Apit Tako or Alliance of Poor Peasants - Cordillera), a Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP or Alliance of Peasants in the Philippines) affiliate. Bulatlat

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