By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO
Bulatlat.com
MANILA — At least two colleagues of slain human rights lawyer Benjamin Ramos Jr. have received death threats today, Nov. 24.
Felipe Levy Gelle Jr. and Enrita Caniendo, both staff members of Paghida-et sa Kauswagan Development Group Inc., received their printed photos in a coffin that came with a note that read, “Subong Gina amat amat na namun kamo. Kamo na ang madason.” (We will take you one after the other. You are next.)
In an urgent alert posted at Karapatan – Negros Facebook account, the printed photos were thrown inside one of the houses of a local peasant leader there.
Their colleague, human rights lawyer Ramos, was shot dead on Nov. 6. His cold-blooded killing has been assailed by various local and international human rights group.
Ramos served as one of the lawyers of the relatives of protesting farmers killed in the infamous Sagay Massacre.
Ramos’ colleagues and friends from the human rights community were subjected to surveillance and threats by two motorcycle-riding men later identified as soldiers and other suspected state agents riding a pick-up truck while they were on their way to his wake.
The two soldiers, who brandished a gun at the human rights workers and lawyers during Ramos’ wake, were arrested by the police and later allowed to post bail.
The military later claimed that they were merely providing security details to the human rights workers and lawyers during their convoy. (Bulatlat.com)
