This story
was taken from Bulatlat, the Philippines's alternative weekly
newsmagazine (www.bulatlat.com, www.bulatlat.net, www.bulatlat.org).
Vol. V, No. 7, March 20-26, 2005
HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH
Aftermath of ‘Bicutan
massacre’
Darwisa Masud waited anxiously
with her four-year old son to check on her husband, Sahid Masud, a suspected Abu
Sayyaf detained at Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan which the police assaulted March
15 to stop an alleged jail break attempt. When she finally saw him, she and her
son could only cry while hugging him. His left eye was swollen from the punches
inflicted on his face and his hands were blistered from hot water poured on them
by the police. BY
AUBREY SC MAKILAN Relatives of slain
suspected Abu Sayyaf members and wounded detainees, and non-government
organizations have called for an independent investigation of the alleged
“massacre” at Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan. In a press conference on
March 19, Cosain Naga Jr., secretary general of Suara Bangsamoro Partylist, said
that the medical mission conducted on March 18 by their group and human rights
group Karapatan for the wounded inmates in Camp Bagong Diwa “led to our having
substantial proof that the assault team wielded excessive use of violence
against the detainees.” Naga relayed that the detainees saw
what was almost like a “massacre” against all of them. He added that according
to the detainees, Special Action Force (SAF) operatives indiscriminately fired
at inmates even when they were already faced down to the ground, replying “pare-parehas
kayong mga Muslim!” (All of you Muslims are just the same!). A Japanese
reporter who covered the incident, on the other hand, commented “it was a
genocide.” In a separate press
conference in Sulu Hotel March 19, however, new Philippine National Police (PNP)
Director General Arturo Lomibao denied there had been overkill or excessive use
of force by the assault team. He added that the assault was a consensus of the
Crisis Management Team, headed by Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG)
Secretary Angelo Reyes, formed to solve the incident. On the other hand, Naga
heard Reyes in the crisis center shouting, “Sige, banatan n’yo na yan!”
(Go, hit them!). Lomibao also said that the
assault team only inflicted minimal casualty from a target of more than 50
persons to the actual 27 deaths among the detainees – 23 Muslims and four
Christians. Naga, however, argued that with more
than 400 inmates detained at the CBD, “only 129 were suspected Abu Sayyaf
elements, 73 of whom were illegally arrested and could be military fall guys
following the military crackdown in Basilan last 2001 as ordered by President
Gloria Arroyo.” Jigs Clamor, spokesperson
of human rights group Karapatan (Alliance for the Advancement of People’s
Rights), said the demands of the alleged ASG members – speedy trial,
investigation of human rights violations, assurance that they will not bodily
harmed, media coverage and food – were reasonable. He also questioned the
alleged deliberate attempt of the government to close down the negotiation. Pura Calleja, counsel of
most of the suspected ASG detainees, earlier confirmed that there had been no
negotiation after the supposed 5 p.m. press conference for the jail breakers
until the assault at 9:15 a.m. of March 15. Retaliation Muslim leaders have denied
planning any kind of retaliation on their side. As Imam (priest) Amil Andan
said, their religion Islam means peace. But the police, quoting as source
alleged Abu Sayyaf member “Boy Negro,” said the ASG is planning to seek revenge
for their dead comrades. Naga said the detainees
told him that after the assault, “they received many blows, kicks and harsh
remarks from SAF (Special Action Forces) while parading them almost naked,
wearing only briefs, and leaving them under the scorching heat of the sun for
almost two hours.” With the condition of the
remaining detainees at CBD now, Clamor said that the only revenge being waged is
on the part of the police. The isolation, physical
assault, and other similar acts, Clamor told Bulatlat, is a violation of
the detainees’ rights as arrested and detained persons, based on Republic Act
7438. Physical assault Darwisa Masud waited
anxiously with her four-year old son to check on her husband, Sahid Masud, a
suspected Abu Sayyaf detained at CBD. When she finally saw him, she and her son
could only cry while hugging him. Sahid’s hands had blisters because of the hot
water allegedly poured on them by the police, while his left eye was swollen
from receiving face blows. Darwisa told Bulatlat
that her husband was one of the six alleged suspected jailbreak plotters who
shot the BJMP guards of the SICA Bldg. A trustee detainee reportedly identified
her husband. Darwina said that another
detainee’s wife warned her to take “extra care.” Police elements have reportedly
been asking for her whereabouts. But instead of fearing for their lives, Darwina
said, “mabuti pa ngang patayin na nila kaming mag-anak para matapos na ang
paghihirap naming” (It is better if kill our family now so our suffering
will end). Aside from Sahid, other
detainees are allegedly being held in bartolina or isolation: Rajmar Jul,
Munid Aza, Omar Abubakar, Alzia Jandul, and Ismael Bas. This was reported by
Karapatan’s Aya Reyes, who was with the medical mission on March 18 with the
Commission on Human Rights (CHR) doctors and other health and human rights
workers. Reyes said that the
detainees bore bruises on their bodies. She said Jul himself confirmed the
torture they suffered during interrogation. She said Jul even demonstrated how a
police officer would move his hand across his neck which signifies death if the
detainees would not admit belonging to the plotters. Reyes described Jul as
having wounds on his chin and bruises on the face from being hit with armalite
rifle. Meanwhile, the
Moro-Christian People’s Alliance (MCPA) said there are more than a hundred
wounded inmates needing medical attention. One of them is Bimbas
Abubakar who was hit in the head with a bullet that caused hematoma
(rapid blood clotting in the brain). He also has bruises and an almost
five-centimeter cut on his foot. Clamor also said that the
detainees were fed only lunchtime of March 16. At present, he said, about 30-35
detainees are sharing a two-by-three square meter cell. Bulatlat © 2004 Bulatlat
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Police Accused of Torture
Bulatlat