Son of Cordillera rebel leader taken by authorities

By Artemio A. Dumlao
Bulatlat.com

BAGUIO CITY (November 7, 2012) – Intelligence agents reportedly took “captive” for two days now the son of underground Cordillera Peoples Democratic Front (CPDF) spokesperson Simon Naogsan.

Grayson Naogsan was arrested by men who introduced themselves as policemen and is now missing, said Jude Baggo of the Baguio-based human rights group Cordillera Human Rights Alliance (CHRA).

Accordingly, five civilian-clad police intelligence agents took Naogsan at around 3PM on November 5 while he and his companion were having coffee at a huge shopping mall on top of Luneta Hill here.

Naogsan and his companion were reportedly shown a warrant of arrest that indicated his name while handguns were poked at their sides discreetly.

Naogsan was handcuffed and was separated from his companion. They told his companion that they will take Naogsan to “Camp Crame”, Baggo claimed.

Naogsan was reportedly led out of the mall through the backstairs by three of the men and used a jacket to cover his handcuff.

At around 5:00, the wife of Naogsan reportedly called his cellphone and he said that he was already out of Baguio and was allegedly being brought to Camp Crame.

Baggo said Naogsan’s wife last heard of him in the morning of November 6 and has been out of reach since then.

Sources from the intelligence community in the Cordillera confirmed the arrest of Naogsan, who accordingly is facing various criminal cases.

Naogsan, the source said, was taken to Metro Manila for questioning.

Already, his wife, who sought assistance from the CHRA and the human rights group Karapatan is now searching in various military and police camps in Metro Manila.

More than five years ago, Naogsan’s brother—Simon Jr. – was slain in a firefight with government troopers in Abra province.

Meanwhile, CHRA expressed outrage on Naogsan’s arrest, “his family is deeply worried and in distress that they do not know his whereabouts and his condition,” Baggo said.

Before his arrest, Baggo said, two men who identified themselves as CIDG personnel asked for information about him around their neighborhood and reportedly even implied that there was an amount of P500,000 for any tip on Naogsan.

Baggo claimed ‘the longer Naogsan is detained in an unknown location worsens the violation of his rights.’ “We demand for the surfacing of Naogsan and that his family and his counsel be given access to where he is.”