Morong43 Final Chronology of Experiences of Complainant Detainees

8/9/2019 Morong43 Final Chronology of Experiences of Complainant Detainees

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CHRONOLOGY OF COMPLAINANTS/DETAINEES EXPERIENCES

Feb. 1, 2010 The Council for Health and Development (CHD)1 and the

Community Medicine Foundation (COMMED)2 sponsored aCommunity First Responders Training3 from February 1-7, as aresult of the disasters caused by super typhoons Pepeng andOndoy. The training was held at the farm house of Dr. MeleciaVelmonte, chairperson of the board of COMMED.

The participants of the training arrived in several batches in themorning. The participants came from areas commonly affectedby disasters, including the National Capital Region, Southern

Tagalog, Bico l and Central Luzon. The train ing started late inthe afternoon with an orientation.

Feb. 2-5, 2010 The first four days of the training was conducted by Dr. AlexisMontes and Dr. Merry Mia-Clamor. Assisting them was TeresaQuinawayan, a midwife and field assistance staff of CHD. Dr.Montes discussed Basic Life Support and Basic Principles inTrauma Management. Dr. Mia-Clamor talked on Pharmacology.

Late afternoon, Gary Liberal, an operating room nurse of the

Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center arrived for his topicNursing Skills and Techniques to be discussed the followingday.In the evening, Dr. Melecia Velmonte lectured on Management ofTrauma Infections on the Community Level.

Feb. 6, 2010 In the early morning, around 5:30-6:00, while the health workerswere preparing to start the last day of their community healthtraining, approximately 100 to 300 armed soldiers andpolicemen barged into the farmhouse of Dr. Melecia Velmonte at

No. 266, Dela Paz Street, Maybangcal, Morong Rizal, conductedan illegal search and thereafter illegally arrested 43 doctors,nurses, midwives and volunteer communi ty health workers.

At the time of the illegal search and arrest, all the 43 participantswere each doing their respective morning routine and rituals ortasks at different locations of the farmhouse before the start ofthe session for the day at 7:00 am. Some were still asleep or inbed while others just woke up, others were making their beds orwere still in the sleeping quarters, some were exercising outsidethe house, still others were cooking or preparing for breakfast,

others were taking breakfast or just had breakfast at the kitchen,

1 Copies of the Certificate of SEC Registration and the brochure of CHD are heretoattached as Annexes A-1 and A-2, respectively.2 Copies of the Certificate of SEC Registration and the brochure of COMMED are hereto

attached as Annexes A-3 and A-4, respectively.3 Copies of the letter-invitations for the training are hereto attached as Annexes A-5, A-5a to

A-5b. Also attached hereto as Annex A-6 is the Program of Activities of the training.


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some were preparing to take a bath, taking a bath or just got outof the comfort rooms, and still others were cleaning the sessionhall.

After the arrest, the 43 health workers were made to boardvehicles. They were handcuffed with plastic wires andblindfolded with cloth reinforced by packing tape for more than36 hours. They were first brought to an undisclosed place in onelarge room before they were eventually brought to the detentionfacility of the 2nd Infantry Division and 206th Infantry Battalion ofthe Philippine Army in Camp Capinpin, Tanay, Rizal. No one ofthe 43 Complainant-Detainees, at any time from the time of theirarrest and detention up to now, has been apprised of theirMiranda rights.The Complainants-Detainees were repeatedly interrogatedwithout counsel of their choice, subjected to various forms ofcoercion, threats, harassments, intimidation and indignities aswell as psychological torture and deprived of sleep. They wererefused their right to counsel of their own or their relativeschoice for six days. A number of them were subjected to variousforms of physical torture. (Please see Affidavits dated Feb 21,2010 and attached to the CHR Complaint dated 25 Feb 2010.)

The respective recollections and individual accounts of theComplainants-Detainees are as follows:

(1) Complainant-Detainee Ray-on AMONG, female, 25 years old,

was preparing for the days session when the military and policebarged into the rooms of the women. She heard Dr. Velmonteshout to the armed men: Mga respetadong tao ang mga yan!They searched their room and their belongings without showingany document for such and despite Dr. Velmontes demands.They did not also allow Dr. Velmonte or anyone of herhousehold to accompany and witness the search and seizure.After the search, the armed men went out of the house and theyallowed the participants to get in in groups of five to get theirpersonal belongings. Her cellphone was confiscated.

Among was handcuffed and blindfolded. They were made toboard vehicles and brought to an undisclosed place. She andher fellow Complainants-Detainees were threatened andcoerced into admitting that they were members of the NewPeoples Army (NPA). She was made to hear noises akin toelectrocution and was threatened to be electrocuted. She deniedbeing an NPA but her interrogators continued to threaten andharass her.Among experienced physical maltreatment (e.g. binatukan) andtorture. Her hands were pulled down until she knelt and resultedin gashes in her knees. She was slapped on the face and mouth

several times. She was asked the circumstances andwhereabouts of members of her family and was threatened withharm if she did not cooperate. Her guards pulled down andreplaced her pants when she had to go to the comfort room atthe time that she was being interrogated. A documentsupposedly mentioning the purpose of their training to makebombs was read to her. She was asked names of individuals


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and asked if they were her comrades. Her fingerprints weretaken while she was still b lindfolded.

Among and her co-detainees were again made to board a

vehicle and brought to a place which she later found out to beCamp Capinpin. The threats and maltreatment continued. Shewas told that her fingernails would be uprooted if she would notsay the truth.Among heard the cries of pain of her co-detainees during thenight when they were being threatened or being forced to admitby the soldiers. For endless nights, she dreaded nightfallbecause of the nightly interrogations which would last untildawn. The interrogation and threats against the Complainants-Detainees continued for several weeks. (Affidavit of Among datedFebruary 21, 2010 and attached to the CHR Complaint dated 25 Feb

2010 asAnnex A.)(2) Complainant-Detainee Jane Beltran BALLETA, female, 27years old, was exercising together with her fellow complainants-detainees outside the house when she saw five soldiers. Dr.Velmonte advised them to get inside the house. The uniformedsoldiers were running all over the place and forced their wayinto the house. She heard Dr. Velmonte ask the soldiers toleave.Balleta together with her co-detainees were made to lie on theirstomachs in one of the rooms one on top of another when theywere arrested while the soldiers pointed their guns at them. Dr.Velmonte asked the soldiers to make the Complainants-

Detainees sit down but the soldiers asked them to raise theirhands over their heads. They were then asked to get out one byone while they were being photographed and videoed. She alsosaw policemen and CIDG (Criminal Investigation and DetectionGroup) members. She saw Manang Bing, the help of Dr.Velmonte, as well as her son, asked by the soldiers to line-upwith them outside the house.Balleta and her co-detainees had not yet eaten by around 9:00am. She requested the soldiers that she will get her medicinesbecause she has epilepsy and needed to take them as sheusually does around 7:00-8:00 am daily but they refused. She

saw the soldiers take away the cellphone of her fellow detainee.They were made to eat eventually by their co-detainee who wastasked to cook for them, after which they were asked by thesoldiers to go back to their rooms where she was able to get hermedicines.Balleta and her co-detainees were asked their names andresidences. But it was interrupted when her fellow co-detaineessaid they needed a lawyer. They were asked to line up again atwhich point she saw two soldiers going outside towards thedirection of the gate. One of was holding a large sack while theother was holding a big can. She saw the men in their group

being blind-folded. The women were also hand-tied and blind-folded. When they asked why they were doing that to them, thesoldiers told them that they were just following instructions.

When Balleta we told them about their rights, they told us themYour lawyers will not come anymore. Maybe your boyfriendswont see you anymore. When they arrived at the first placewhere they were brought, they confiscated her things,cellphone, ID and money.


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At times when she had to go to the comfort room, since herhands were tied and eyes were covered, the female guards werethe ones who pulled Balletas pants and underwear down in two

instances. They were also made to wear diapers since they didnot want them to go back and forth to the comfort room,resulting in so much discomfort that made her sick.

Balleta was interrogated endlessly. Several persons took turnsin asking her different questions and misleading her that all hercompanions have confessed. At one point, someone placed apaper in her mouth and told her that she will be tortured. Sheinvoked her right to counsel but she was just ignored. She hadhardly slept when they came back for her. Because of the fearthat she will be given a hard time during the interrogation and

that her epilepsy would strike, she was forced to admit that I ama member of the NPA even though it is not true.

Balleta was blindfolded and handcuffed for 36 hours. They onlyallowed them to talk to their lawyers on February 11, 2010. Afiscal had talked to them one night and said that the caseagainst them was illegal possession of firearms. She was placedin solitary confinement for the first two days of her detention.(Affidavit of Balleta dated February 21, 2010 and attached to theCHR Complaint dated 25 Feb 2010 asAnnex B.)

(3) Complainant-Detainee John Mark BARRIENTOS, male, 20years old was cooking at the kitchen when suddenly a group ofarmed soldiers entered. They led him outside with his hands atthe back of my head. He was blindfolded and his hands weretied at the back. They were never told why they were beingarrested.Barrientos was then loaded into a vehicle together with othersand brought to a place where he was asked to sit on a chair.They started to question him but accused him of being an NPAeven as he consistently explained that he was just a farmer anda health worker in their community.

Barrientos was later brought again to a different place while sti llblindfolded and his hands were tied up at the back. A soldiersaid Hindi ka rin lang magsasalita ay ilalabas na kita! Meron kabangnakita? (Since you wont talk, I might as well take you out. Canyou see anyth ing?) and he answered (none and the soldier saidbaka hindi kana tuluyang makakita (Perhaps you will end up notbeing able to see at all). A soldier twisted his right arm andforced him to admit that he was an NPA but he told them that hewas just a farmer and a health worker.

When night came, they took Barrientos my fingerprints. He felt

dizzy due to overfatigue. The soldier led him to a room and lethim sit on a chair the whole night while his hands were still tiedand eyes blindfolded. The soldiers would not let him sleep. Thesoldiers fed him with food but he was able to eat only aspoonful. (Affidavit of Barrientos dated February 21, 2010 andattached to the CHR Complaint dated 25 Feb 2010 asAnnex C.)


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(4) Complainant-Detainee Eleonor CARANDANG, female,married with 5 children, all of whom are underage, was stil linside her sleeping quarters bedroom (which was on the 2ndfloor of the house) at around 5:00-6:00 am when she heard from

a co-participant that there were soldiers present. Some of themwere still sleeping while others were already taking a bath andwere getting ready for that days session.

At first, Carandang thought that there were only a few soldierspresent, but when she actually saw them, she realized that therewere many. They went after the males rooms first, that theyforcibly pushed the doors open and tried to break them. Theywere made to go down from the second floor, made to lie ontheir stomachs, and then had them fall in line. They asked for anexplanation why they were being arrested but they didnt get

any reply nor was there an explanation why they soldiers therein the first place and why they had to rummage through theirbelongings.Carandang saw that the ones who searched through theirbelongings and who illegally arrested them all wore militaryuniforms, CIDG and police. She does not know their names andas their nameplates were all covered, but if she ever sees themagain, she can definitely identify some. A bit later, they wereinstructed to go back to their rooms to get their belongings butwhen she did, she discovered that her mobile phone and walletcontaining Php2200 and her sphygmomanometer were alreadymissing.After they retrieved their things, Carandang and hercompanions were blindfolded and handcuffed at the back sotight that it hurt. They were then brought to ride a vehicle butbecause she was blindfolded, she didnt know where they werebrought.Carandang was told that even if she was already married, shestill looked beautiful and then the soldiers laughed and evensaid that they were going to visit her..While still blindfolded, Carandang was repeatedly questionedand were accused of being NPAs. She estimates that she wasblindfolded and interrogated for about 36 hours, about thingsthat she does not even know.

Carandang found out that they were already brought to CampCapinpin. For the whole time that they were handcuffed andblindfolded for 36 hours since they were forced out of theirhealth training facility, the soldiers still left them handcuffedeven when they needed to go to the toilet. The soldiers were theones who pulled their pants down and pulled it back on duringtheir toilet breaks. The soldiers were also the one who spoon-fed them.That night, Carandang was brought to a cold and grassy place,where she heard a scream asking for mercy. She was told:thats what hard-headed people deserve. She was brought intoa cell, and was left alone. Later on, she found out that all ofthem were not allowed to talk to a lawyer or their families. Shewants to have a companion in her cell and she thinks she mightgo crazy if she is all alone. She hopes her plea will be heard as


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well as those of her other companions.

Almost every night, except the night before they were visited bythe CHR and the lawyers for the first time which was February

11, Thursday, Carandang and her co-trainees were interrogatednonstop, any time of the day - - morning, evening, midnight ordawn. The things that they have experienced at the hands of themilitary inside the camp are very traumatic because she cantunderstand why they were arrested and why they were treatedworse than a real criminal. (Affidavit of Carandang dated February21, 2010 and attached to the CHR Complaint dated 25 Feb 2010 asAnnex D.)(5) Complainant-Detainee EULOGIO CASTILLO, male, 40 yearsold, was eating breakfast together with his male participantswhen around 20 policemen wearing CIDG uniforms and with

long firearms barged into the house where they were staying.The police were with soldiers in uniforms reading 16th IB. Theypointed their weapons at them and told them not to move.

Eulogio Castillo were gathered outside the house and separatedfrom the females. They were blindfolded and handcuffed andmade to fall in line before we were instructed to get on a militaryvehicle. He was handcuffed and blindfolded for a long time thaton the third day that they were in the camp, he was not able towalk.Eulogio Castillo and company were brought someplace whichhe thought was a safe house. There were more or less 10

interrogators who questioned him that time. They asked him hisname, address and the organizations that he belongs to; evenhis alleged participation in the offensives of the NPA. He heardfrom the 2 persons beside the soldiers that they were identifyinghim as Ely Castillo and that he was allegedly involved in raids.Because he was so scared, he was compelled to conceal hisreal name and told them that his name was Rogelio Villareses yBalino. He told the soldiers that he is a member of the HealthAlliance for Democracy (HEAD) but they insisted on having himadmit that he is a member of the NPA. They took his fingerprintsand photographed him. But before they did, they had guns

pointed at his head and back. His cash in his wallet wasconfiscated.Eulogio Castillo could not sleep because of the repeatedinterrogations. The soldiers came up to him to talk, making himhear that there are some who are going to be sent away and ofvoices begging for mercy. He also heard the screams and criesof his companions who were in the other rooms. The soldierstold me to cooperate with them. They were saying that once heis set free, he should start his life over and that they will helphim with his case. They said that even he gets free, there is noguarantee he will be living peacefully.

The soldiers psychological torture has affected EulogioCastillo greatly and brought him immeasurable fear. That is whylater on he was forced to reveal my real name. And if only tohave the repeated interrogation stop which have deprived himof sleep, he was forced to admit the charges being leveledagainst him by the soldiers regarding the alleged activities of


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the NPA, even though they were false and even if they do nothave any evidence to support their accusations. (Affidavit ofEulogio Castillo dated February 15 (21), 2010 and attached to theCHR Complaint dated 25 Feb 2010 asAnnex E.)

(6) Complainant-Detainee SAMSON CASTILLO, male, 42 yearsold, was cleaning the session hall around 6:00 am when manysoldiers and policemen arrived, arresting him and the otherparticipants without even showing a warrant of arrest. He wastold to go down from the 2nd floor, and while doing that, twosoldiers had their guns pointed at him. He was told to lie facingdown on the floor and had his hands handcuffed at my back andwas blindfolded tightly.Around 6:30 am, Samson Castillo saw the military searched thesession hall, then a soldier went up carrying a backpack with a

heavy load and came down no longer carrying it.

Samson Castillo and his co-trainees were taken to a place thathe didnt know because they were still in blindfolds. Thehandcuffs also cut through his wrist because it was too tight. Heasked to go to the toilet but after peeing, he was made to wearPampers such that both the urine and feces got mixed up therefor two days and two nights.The interrogation started when Samson Castillo and hiscompanions arrived at the place they were brought. The militarycontinued to force him to admit that he is an NPA and that hepoint out to his other companions. Every night, he would not be

allowed to sleep because they keep rousing him and repeatedlyinterrogated and asked to admit that he is an NPA. He remainedhandcuffed and blindfolded for a couple of days. Because of thetight handcuffs, his wrists suffered cuts and were still painfulfor a time.Samson Castillo was threatened to be killed along with myfamily. The handcuffs and blindfold were only removed on the3rd day but they kept on rousing him from sleep at night andrepeatedly interrogated. He was brought into a cell at the end ofthe corridor and have been left there alone and they threatenedhim that he was the only one left so he better admit and join the

soldiers as an asset. There was someone who kept asking himabout when he last saw or talked wi th Diana, Celia, and Adlay.

Samson Castillo lost his wallet with cash, drivers license,Philhealth card, pants with belt and MIMS (medical book).(Affidavit of Samson Castillo dated February 21, 2010 and attachedto the CHR Complaint dated 25 Feb 2010 asAnnex F.)

(7) Complainant-Detainee Mercy CASTRO, female, 27 years old,was in the kitchen preparing breakfast when she noticed anumber of soldiers in the surrounding area. She decided to goto a room where her other colleagues were but as she wasmoving toward the room, she was seen by the soldiers and wastold not to move. They then proceeded to barge into the roomsof her colleagues. She could not move as she was very muchsurprised because all the soldiers were armed. The soldiersordered her colleagues to come out from their respective roomsand made them line-up and photographed them several times.


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While Castro and her colleagues were all outside, some soldiersentered their rooms and searched their belongings. She sawsoldiers bringing in full knapsacks when they entered theirroom. After searching, the soldiers told them to get their

belongings. As she was collecting her things, she noticed thatsome items were missing, namely money, a cellular phone andeven their first aid materials.When the soldiers came out, Castro saw them with plastic bagswhich allegedly contained explosives, C-4, and bombs that theysaid they used. The knapsacks they brought in earlier werealready empty when the soldiers came out.

Castro and her colleagues were cuffed by the soldiers with tightplastic bindings and blindfolded with packaging tape over them.Her hands were cuffed behind her back and this was painful to

her because of an injury on her left shoulder.

Castro and her colleagues and were made to ride a vehiclebelonging to their abductors and brought them to a place theydidnt know. As they arrived at their destination, she wasrepeatedly questioned about her life, name, and work while shewas still blindfolded. Several people interrogated her, theywere in threes and they claim they came from the NationalBureau of Investigation (NBI), Philippine National Police (PNP),Philippine Army (PA), Intelligence Service of the Armed Forcesof the Philippines (ISAFP) and other agencies and it made her

feel that she has been interrogated by every government agencyin the country. Afterwards her fingerprints were taken while shewas still b lindfo lded and photos of them were taken side by sidewhile they were holding something but she could not identifywhat was on it.Castros interrogators insisted that she was a member of theNew Peoples Army (NPA) and that she allegedly even had ahigh-ranking position there. She was said to be on their Order ofBattle (OB) and was asked of her involvement with the NPA inBataan and about her alleged aliases. The soldiers told her notto deny the accusations that she has blood on her hands

because she is an NPA member. She told them that the onlyblood on her hands could have been because of circumcisionsof the youth that she has administered and not because shekilled anyone.Castro was threatened by her interrogators that she would beburied alive if she would not comply and cooperate with themili tary. Every time they interrogate her, government agents tellher that it feels good to kiss her while she is inside her cell.(Affidavit of Castro dated February 21, 2010 and attached to theCHR Complaint dated 25 Feb 2010 asAnnex G.)

(8) Complainant-Detainee Dr. Merry CLAMOR, female, 33 yearsold, was preparing for the continuation of the training andseminar at around 6:00 am when approximately 300 armed menfrom the military and police stormed in. They entered the roomof the females with their rifles pointed at them and they weremade to lie prone before they were ordered to come out andgrouped together in one place. They searched their rooms andbelongings without showing any document even though it was


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demanded by Dr. Velmonte.

Clamor saw that neither Dr. Velmonte nor any of the members ofher family was permitted to come with and witness the search

and investigation inside their house. While in the driveway, theysaw a few soldiers carrying sack bags coming down. After theirsearch inside the house, they went outside and let theparticipants in for them to get their personal belongings;

Clamor noticed that her two cellu lar phones, wallet with IDs andmoney were missing. She notified the policemen who were withthe group but until now her missing items have not beenreturned. They tied their hands and blindfolded them.

Clamor and her colleagues were loaded into a vehicle and taken

to a place. Upon arrival, they were ordered to get off the vehicle,walked and brought to a place where they were threatened. Shewas coerced to admitting that she is a member of the NewPeoples Army. The interrogations started and came with threatsand noises like the screams of women getting hurt whichcaused her fear and nervousness.

Clamor told them that what theyre doing is a violation of herrights but one of them answered and said Ano ba yang mgakarapatan na yan? (What rights are you referring to?) And theystill continued with their interrogations and threats. She wasalso told that their lawyers and leaders have abandoned them.

Clamor answered their questions and told them the truth thatshe was not a member of the NPA or of any movement. But theydid not believe her and they continued with their threats andharassment. They told her that if she did not admit, they wouldexpose her under the sun and would not let her sleep. They triedto force out of her the names of her spouse and children andwhere they live. When they werent content with her answersthey told her that she was tough and they will look for herspouse and children.The interrogation on Clamor was done while she wasblindfolded and her hands were tied and this would last formore than a day. At the peak of their questioning andthreatening there were times when she wanted to use the toiletand they were the ones pulling her trousers down and then backup because her hands were bound. No matter what pleading shedid to have her hand bindings removed they would not listen toher. Her fingerprints were taken while she was blindfolded andthen afterwards they removed the blindfolds and photos weretaken of them one by one holding name cards.After their questioning, Clamor and her colleagues were againloaded into a vehicle still with blindfolds and hand bindings.They were brought to a place which they eventually learned asCamp Capinpin, Tanay Rizal.

Clamor can hear the screams and cries of her companions whowere detained especially if they were being coerced orthreatened by the soldiers. She felt fear and nervousnesswhenever she thinks that they will make good with their threats


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of death. She pleaded if it was possible for her to call herspouse to let him know of her situation but it was not permittedalong with her desire to look for and consult with her lawyer.During the first days of their detention, their families and

relatives and our lawyers were not allowed to visi t them. Theinterrogation and threats would continue up to the time theywere visited again by their lawyers on February 21. Theyinterrogate her colleagues almost nightly and these last untildawn. (Affidavit of Clamor dated February 21, 2010 and attached tothe CHR Complaint dated 25 Feb 2010 asAnnex H.)

(9) Complainant-Detainee RAMON DELA CRUZ, male, 21 yearsold, was in his room when they were arrested by soldiers andpolice and their belongings searched. They did not show anyarrest or search warrant to them. They were lined up, body

searched, blindfolded, tied up and then forcibly boardedawaiting vehicles then transported into the camp of the soldiers.

In the military camp, Ramon dela Cruz was threatened andquestioned repeatedly about his alleged work as an NPA. Duringthe interrogation, a soldier punched him on his back ribs. Theythreatened him by putting the burning end of a cigarette to hislips. They threatened to kill him if he didnt confess to being amember of the NPA. They threatened to dump his body under abridge and even not allow his lawyer into the camp. They said ifhe does not want to languish in jail and if he still wants to see

his parents, he should just cooperate with the military and willbe rewarded as long as he joins them.

Due to the great pain brought by the punch on Ramon delaCruzs side as he was handcuffed and blindfolded, he almostlost consciousness and that allowed them to use his signatureor fingerprint in a document that he has not read. They hit himwith knee blows on his thighs causing extreme pain. Theypunched his solar plexus and back, and hit his nape andshoulders with strong hand blows. His handcuffs were verytight that he suffered cuts on his wrists.

For a long time the soldiers did not allow visits from Ramondela Cruzs relatives, lawyers and doctors that he lost anyhope that he could be released from my detention. His cash andcellphone were taken from him. (Affidavit of Ramon dela Cruzdated February 21, 2010 and attached to the CHR Complaint dated25 Feb 2010 asAnnex I.)

(10) Complainant-Detainee ROMEO DELA CRUZ, male, 53 yearsold, had just woken up around 6:00 am when several militaryand police arrived. He and his companions were suddenlyarrested without any warrant of arrest being shown to them. He

was made to lie face down, handcuffed at the back andblindfolded tightly for three days.He wasbeing forced to admitthat he is an NPA and to point at his supposed comrades.

Romeo dela Cruz was placed in solitary confinement at themilitary camp. At night, he is roused and deprived of sleep. Hewould be repeatedly asked to confess that he is an NPA. He


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was not allowed visit by counsel until February 11. Hiscellphone and cash were taken. (Affidavit of Romeo dela Cruzdated February 21, 2010 and attached to the CHR Complaint dated25 Feb 2010 asAnnex J.)

(11) Complainant-Detainee Leah DE LUNA, female, 28 years old,was surpr ised when at around 6:00 am, a big number of soldiershad entered the compound. They said they were looking forsomeone and were roaming the place for about two hours. Theywere holding a sack which they did not know what was inside .The soldiers took all the medical equipments and also hercellphone and money.De Luna and her co-trainees were made to lie on their stomachs.They were led outside and made to form a line. She asked for anexplanation but the soldiers did not answer them properly. Herfellow trainees were blindfolded and handcuffed and afterwardsmade to ride a vehicle. She was one of the few who were notblindfolded at first because they crowded into each other in thevehicle that brought them. They travelled aimlessly and werebrought to an unknown place because they were blindfoldedwhen they were already on board the vehicle.

De Luna felt that she was already isolated the very first day inthe place where they brought her. They took her fingerprintswhile blindfolded and took her photo when they took theblindfolds off. They made her wear diapers because they saidthat they cannot go out to use the toilet.

From then up to February 11, De Luna would be called andinterrogated five times. A soldier who introduced himself asJoel was the one questioning her but there were others withhim. They forced her to answer questions like: Who is theCO?, How many are from CL? If I personal ly know Jokily,Thee or Dilly? You are an NPA, arent you? They would call forher and interrogate her anytime they wish.

De Luna was not talking and had nothing to answer to Joel andhis companions except to say that she does not know anythingbecause she does not fight with arms and that she is justhelping the poor in the community that health and medicalservices cannot be reached.De Luna also heard that there were some from them who theywould bring out at night, which is why she was very, very afraid.There are times when they would take out someone like co-detainee Donasco at around 1:00 am and bring her back ataround 4:00 am. They were subjected to different kinds ofthreat, like they told them they had backhoed someone. Thereare those who cried and wailed. Other forms of mockery andthreats were also made. They were told that they were already

abandoned by their friends that is why they did not come to seethem and that even their lawyers wont even see them for a bit.(Affidavit of Leah de Luna dated February 21, 2010 and attached tothe CHR Complaint dated 25 Feb 2010 asAnnex K.)(12) Complainant-Detainee Edwin DEMATERA, male, 38 yearsold, had just woken up at around 6:00 am when a number ofsoldiers and police stormed in and suddenly arrested him and


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his colleagues. No warrant of arrest was presented. He wasmade to lie prone and his hands were cuffed behind his back.His eyes were blindfolded tightly. His cuffs were so tightcausing his wrists to be cut and in pain. There was also a hard

button behind his blindfold which cut the back of his head andmade it swollen. His belt bag that contained one cellphone andcash was forcibly taken.

Dematera was continuously coerced to admit that he was amember of the NPA and to point out his co-members. At nighthe was not made to sleep and he was suddenly wakened up andquestioned repeatedly and made to admit that he is a member ofthe NPA. He was still blindfolded and cuffed for a few days. Hewas threatened that he will be killed and his family will not bespared.

Demateras fingerprints were forcibly taken while he wasblindfolded. Photos of him were taken while he held up placardson his chest.Demateras blindfold and handcuff was only removed after threedays but the sudden waking at night and questionings by themilitary continued. He was in anxiety and lacked sleep becauseof the sudden rousing by the military in the middle of the night.Even if his cuffs have been removed, his hands remained cutand the back of my head was swollen for a few weeks becauseof the infection caused by the hard button behind the blindfo ld.

Dematera had always asked that he be able to speak to a lawyerbut he was only able to talk to his lawyer in the afternoon ofFebruary 11. (Affidavit of Dematera dated February 21, 2010 andattached to the CHR Complaint dated 25 Feb 2010 asAnnex L.)

(13) Complainant-Detainee Angela DOLORICON, female, 50years old, pointed out that Dr. Melecia Velmonte herself was oneof their medical trainors. At around 6:00 am, there were soldierswho suddenly entered the room where she and her co-participants slept. They pointed guns at them and made them lieon their stomachs. Afterwards they made them line up on the

driveway of the compound of the farmhouse.

Doloricon saw on the driveway the other participants alreadyblindfolded and hand-tied with plastic. They asked the soldierswho their head was to ask why they were arresting them. Sheasserted that they will not go with them until their lawyers havearrived but the soldiers did not listen to them and gave the run-around. The nameplates of the soldiers she saw were covered.

Doloricon saw soldiers holding sacks with something inside,but they did not know its contents. They also brought thesesacks back to their vehicles. Some also brought unidentifiedthings inside cans to their vehicles. Some of her co-traineesdemanded that the soldiers not to cover their eyes and tie theirhands.Doloricon saw some of the trainees, who were already blind-folded, were made to ride an Isuzu Highlander with plate numberWLX 973. She and her companions were brought to a white vanwithout a plate number. The soldiers rushed to hand them a


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heavy backpack but they refused to accept it because it was nottheirs. After quite a long t ravel, we stopped. The soldiers forcedto blind-fold and hand-cuff us. The detainees protested but thesoldiers did not listen to them. The vehicle started again and

after a while it stopped. The detainees went down with theireyes already covered and hands tied. Afterwards, they broughtthem to a place which they do not know.

When Doloricon and company arrived at the place, the soldierstook their bags and the money inside her bag which wasreserved for payment for the venue and food. She was placedfrom one seat to another. And there she was asked questionscontinuously. They interrogated her for a very long time aboutthings she knew nothing about. Her eyes were still blindfoldedand hands tied.

If Doloricon wanted to go to the comfort room, the soldierswould come with her and they were the ones who pull down herpants and underwear. They were also the ones who pulled theseback on. They repeatedly asked her name, where she lives andthe name of her husband. She asked the soldiers why they tookthem. But the soldiers did not answer. She also told them thatshe wanted to contact her lawyer but they refused. A soldier

just told her,Bait kappa nagkakaproblema ako ay hinahanap koang batas pero kapag walang problema ay hindi ko hinahanap angbatas. (Why is it that when I have problems, I invoke the law butwhen I do not have problems, I do not invoke it?)

Doloricon gave them the address of the lawyer she knew, Atty.Paul Sagayo. She told the soldiers that she will only answerquestions in court and only in front of her lawyer because shewas no match against them. The soldier said:Sure, you mightwant to think; only God can save you now!

The soldiers who interrogated Doloricon asked her the samequestions over and over again while her eyes were covered andhands were still tied. The soldiers told her to cooperate so I willbe spared and that they will take care of the law. She got angry

and did not agree to what the soldier was saying because shedoes not know anything about it.

The soldiers just continued to interrogate and threatenDoloricon ever since they took them. They did not let them sleepfor two days, February 6 and 7. She was just sitting on a chairblind-folded and hand-cuffed for two days while they repeatedlyasked questions and threatened her The soldier whointerrogated and threatened her told her his name was Jim.(Affidavit of Doloricon dated February 21, 2010 and attached to theCHR Complaint dated 25 Feb 2010 asAnnex M.)

(14) Complainant-Detainee Lilibeth DONASCO, female, 24 yearsold was still lying in bed that morning while her othercolleagues were still in the room when a sudden noise washeard in the house where they were staying and where thehealth training was being held. The door of the house wasforced open by soldiers. Shortly after, they were lined up alongthe road. They took their bags, and then they blindfolded themand tied their hands behind their backs.


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After that, they placed Donasco and her company in a vehiclewhich she believed was a jeepney. Since she was blindfolded,she could only feel the vehicle stop and move again. They got

off were transferred to another vehicle which she believed wasa vanDonasco heard somebody say, Naku! Tumutulo ang dugo. (Oh,the blood is dripping) Not long after, they were dropped at aplace which later on she learned was a camp for soldiers. Shewas still blindfolded so she couldnt see the person who sheheard say, Naku! Nagpa-firing squad. (Oh, theres a firingsquad). Then she heard three gunshots.

Donasco was still blindfolded and handcuffed when a personcame over and spoke to her. Approximately ten people

alternately spoke to her. After that, she was brought outside andher fingerprints were taken with the blindfold and handcuffs stillon. Since she was blindfolded and handcuffed for a long time,she asked the soldiers what day and what date it was then, butthey did not want to tell her.Donasco was brought to a room where she was all alone. There,they continued to ask her questions. They told her, Aminin mona kasi Di mo ba alam na ang training na yun ay iligal at walangpahintulot? (You better confess Dont you know that thattraining is illegal and has no permit?) When she did not reply, amale soldier hit her head and struck her on the nape. Her ears

ringed and she screamed in pain. She was so dizzy becauseshe was blindfolded for so long and this has given her a phobia.

When Donasco was not able to answer promptly the questionsof the soldiers, they threaten her by saying, Iuuntog ko ang ulomo sa pader! (I will bang your head against the wall!) She wasntable to sleep because so many were asking her questions andthey had plenty of questions. Whenever she would doze off,they would wake her up and interrogate her again. It was onlythe night of February 10 that nobody came to ask her questions.

Donasco also wasnt able to eat well. She didnt have theappetite because she was so terrified. They also did not removeher handcuffs that was why they had to spoon-feed her. Herblindfold would be removed only on the night that theysubjected them for inquest, but they were still handcuffed.

While they were asking Donasco questions, the soldiersmentioned names that allegedly were ex-NPA. Huwag ka ngmagsinungaling. Nandito ako, (Stop lying, I am here) the voicetold her. Two men and a woman also talked to her and said,Yang nasa harap mo ay attorney. Huwag ka magsinungaling. (Theperson before you is a lawyer. Dont lie) And another personsaid, Uuwi na nga ako, hindi naman nagsasabi ng totoo yan. (Imgoing home, she is not telling the truth anyway.)

While they were questioning Donasco, they told her that sheneeds to cooperate with them. They said that they will give her a

job so she can help her parents just like them, who were formerNPAs or communists. They told her that if she goes home, she


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will go back to her work in the mountains and that they will giveher a cellphone so she can report to them if people are leaving.

Donascos greatest fear during the interrogations was when she

does not talk, she would hear a lot of movement that seems toimply haste, which makes her think that the end of her life isabout to come. (Affidavit of Donasco dated February 21, 2010 andattached to the CHR Complaint dated 25 Feb 2010 asAnnex N.)

(15) Complainant-Detainee Julius DUANO, male, 30 years old,was preparing for the continuation of the said training andseminar at round 6:00 am when about 300 armed elements ofthe military and police suddenly entered the property forreasons they do not know. They entered the said house andbrought them outside, grouped them together in one area and

made us lie on their stomachs. The women were separated fromthe men. They searched the room and their things withoutshowing them any papers or documents regarding the saidsearch even if Dr. Velmonte demanded for it. They did not allowDr. Velmonte or any member of her family to join or witnesstheir search and investigation inside the house. After theirsearch inside the said house, they went out and told thedetainees to go in and get their things.Duano noticed that his cellular phone, money and personaleffects were missing and have not been returned until now.After their entry and search of the house, they tied up the

detainees hands and blindfolded them.Duano and his companions were boarded on a vehicle andbrought to a certain place. Upon arrival, they told to disembark,made to walk and brought to a place where he was threatenedand was being forced to admit that he is a member of the NPA.When they arrived there, the questioning began. Theinterrogation was mixed with threats and they were made tohear sounds that greatly instilled fear and anxiety.

Duano was being forced to admit that he is a member of theNPA and he told them that he was not part of the said

organization. But they did not believe him and they continuedtheir threats and even told him that they would electrocute andkill him if he did not tell them the truth. They coerced him to givethe names of the members of his family and where they live, andthen they threatened that if he does not tell them the truth,something bad was going to happen to his family.

Simultaneous to their questioning was their intermittentelbowing of Duanos side, flicking of his ears and punching ofhis stomach. The interrogation was done on him while he wasblindfolded and handcuffed and this lasted for more than a day.

In the middle of the questioning and threats, there were timesthat he had to use the bathroom and they were the ones wholowered and returned his pants because his hands were stilltied.Duano told them that his handcuffs and blindfold were too tightbut they even tightened them, which led to the peeling of theskin of his hands and the tip of his nose. They were giving out


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names of people and asking him if they were his colleagues buthe told them that they were not his companions. They took hisfingerprints while blindfolded and after that, they removed theblindfold from their eyes and one by one, they took pictures of

them holding up names.

After the interrogations, they boarded Duano and his companyagain on a vehicle, still without removing the blindfolds and withhands tied. They brought us to a place that they did not initiallyknow and whenever he asked them where we were, they did notmention the name of the place. But not long after, he found outthat the place was Camp Capinpin, Tanay, and Rizal.

Duano was separated from the rest and he was put in a room,which became my bedroom and shelter. On my first night in thesaid place, he heard gunshots. They interrogated him night afternight and threatened to kill him and his family if he did not tellthem the truth. They kept forcing him to admit that he is n NPAand that he was allegedly among those who attacked a policestation in the province of Quezon.

Duano heard the screams of his detained companions,especially when they were also being threatened and forced toconfess by the soldiers. He felt fearful and distressed becausehe kept on thinking of the possibil ity that they will actually makegood their threats to kill them and their families if they do notadmit what they want them to admit.

There was also a time when Duano was interrogated by two menwho introduced themselves as policemen from Quezon. Theywore police uniforms but they purposely removed theirnametags. They were forcing him to admit that he was amongthe group of NPAs who attacked and disarmed them, which ledto their demotion. He told them that he is not a member of theNPA and that he has never been to Quezon and this made themangrier and they pulled and squeezed his balls that it was sopainful.Fear and anxiety is what Duano feels while imprisoned in Camp

Capinpin, especially at nightfall because they interrogate himevery night, threaten to kill him and force him to admit that he isa member of the NPA. They even told him that the NPAleadership has abandoned them.

They also told Duano that some of his companions had alreadyconfessed while those who did not were already killed and theythreatened to do the same to him if he did not confess. But hetold them the truth that he is not a member of the NPA. Theyalso mentioned names and asked him if he knew them and ifthey were his colleagues, but he told them that he didnt know

them and that they were not his colleagues.

Every time Duano asked for drinking water, they refused andthey just told him to drink water from the faucet in thebathroom. Every time they interrogate him, he gets asthmaattacks yet they do not stop in the questioning and threats. Hekept on asking for medicine but they wont provide it so he hadto endure it. The detainees were also prohibited to speak with


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each other and if they disobeyed them, they threatened to killthem.

For the next few days, they would continue to interrogate and

terrorize Duano and his co-detainees. Nightly, they interrogatehim and his companions and this continues until dawn. Usually,the interrogation happens in a room but if there are two peopleins ide the room, they would bring out one of them. Great fearhas been impressed on his mind and being and he knows thatthis will leave an indelible mark on his person, which will affecthis thinking and disposition. (Affidavit of Duano dated February21, 2010 and attached to the CHR Complaint dated 25 Feb 2010 asAnnex O)

(16) Complainant-Detainee Mark ESCARTIN, male, 20 years oldrecalled that the owner of the training facility herself, Dr. MeleciaVelmonte, lectured on one topic in the training. At 6:00 am,while they were getting ready for breakfast and getting ready totake a bath or taking a bath before resuming their session forthat day at 7:00 am, the participants were surprised with thesimultaneous entry in different places of the farmhouse ofinnumerable uniformed military, each armed with long firearms.They were shouting and pointed their guns towards them andtold them to l ie prone.Escartin and his co-participants were bunched and lined-up likeanimals by the said soldiers, frisked and their money,cellphones, and other personal belongings confiscated. They

were blindfolded and tied at the back. The blindfold used on h imwas made of cloth and tightened even more with packing tapewhile the hand-binding was made of hard plastic. After a fewhours, they were loaded one by one into different vehicles. Theyeventually learned that they were first taken to Camp Capinpin,Tanay, and Rizal before they were moved and separatelyincarcerated in a detention center in the said camp. Hisblindfold was removed only in the afternoon of February 7.From the time Escartin arrived at the said camp until they finallysaw and talked to their lawyers on February 11, theinterrogations were almost endless and frequent coupled with

threats by different men whom he cannot identify because hewas still b lindfolded. He could not recall anymore the number oftimes he was interrogated at any time of the day or night butthese lasted approximately half an hour to an hour. There wasan instance when he was hit twice on the head with a ballpen.

In the almost unrelenting and repeated questioning, Escartinwas being forced to confess that he is a member of the NPA buthe admitted to nothing since he is not. In the interrogationswithout the presence of a lawyer, he was intimidated andcoerced and threatened to be killed with the words iligpit niyo na

iyan! itapon na iyan! (Finish him off! Dump him!) and theyopenly said he was already going to be killed.

Throughout his illegal detention, Escartin was never apprised ofhis r ights even by the prosecutor that arrived at the camp. Visitsfrom his relatives were limited to five minutes only and the entryof food by them was prohibited. Conversations with his co-


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detainees were also prohibited. They have not been takenoutside for sunning. (Affidavit of Duano dated February 21, 2010and attached to the CHR Complaint dated 25 Feb 2010 as AnnexP)

(17) Complainant-Detainee Ronilo ESPERA, male, 31 years old,suffered almost the same experience as his other co-detainees.At approximately 6:00 am, he and his colleagues were in thefarmhouse of Dr. Velmonte. They had just woke up andpreparing for breakfast when approximately 300 armed menfrom the military and police stormed in for reasons unknown tothem.

The military and police personnel entered the said house andEspera and company were ordered to come out and convene in

one place and lie prone, with the women separated from themen. They searched the rooms and their things without showingany documents authorizing it despite the fact that it wasdemanded by Dr. Velmonte. Neither the latter nor any of herfamily was allowed to come with and witness the search andinvestigation.After their search inside the house, the armed men went outsideand let us in for us to get our personal belongings. Esperanoticed that his money, wallet, photos and ID were taken. Theythen tied their hands and blindfolded them, then loaded into avehicle. Upon arrival, they were ordered to get off the vehicle,

walked and brought to a place where they were threatened andcoerced to admit that they are NPAs.

Espera was subjected to interrogations coupled with threats.They heard noises that caused fear and anxiety. He was beingcoerced to admit but they did not believe him and continued tothreaten him. They threatened to electrocute and kill him if hedoes not tell the truth. They tried to force out of him the namesof his spouse and children, where they live and said somethingbad will happen to them if I dont tell the truth.

While being questioned, Espera was subjected to slapping ofhis ears, punching of his stomach, and squeezing of histesticles. He remained blindfolded and tied for more than a day.The cuffs and blindfold were very tight, and it caused woundson his skin on his hands and nose. His interrogators mentionednames and asked him if they were with him but he denied it.

Like the rest of his co-detainees, Esperas fingerprints weretaken while blindfolded and then afterwards they were removedand photos were taken of them individual ly with name cards.

After their questioning, Espera and his companions were againloaded into a vehicle still with blindfolds and hand bindings.They were brought to a place which he eventually learned to beCamp Capinpin, Tanay, and Rizal. They were separated fromeach other and he was led into a room that was to become hisbunk and l iving quarter with another co-detainee.

On the first night at the camp, Espera heard gunfire, and the


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torment he would suffer would start. He was interrogatednightly, intimidated and threatened to be killed as well as hisfamily if he did not tell the truth. He was being forced to admitthat he was involved in the ambush of a police station in

Quezon.

Espera heard the wailing of his companions especially if theywere being coerced to admit or threatened by the soldiers. Hefelt fear and nervousness whenever he thinks that they willmake good with their death threats. He dreads the night at CampCapinpin because he is nightly interrogated, threatened withdeath, and coerced to admit I he is a member of the NPA.

Espera was even told that they have been abandoned by theirNPA leaders especially Jomawho is in another country enjoying

himself while they were suffering. And if it was really theintention of our leaders to help us they shouldve broughtlawyers to help us.The soldiers also told Espera me that some of his co-detaineeshave confessed and some others have already been killed andthat they will do the same to him if he does not confess. But hetold them the truth that he is not a member of the NPA. Theyalso mention names and ask him if he knows them and if he iswith them but he told them otherwise. They were also prohibi tedfrom having conversations with other detainees and werethreatened to be killed if they defy this. The interrogations and

threats would continue and are done nightly and continues untildawn. He hadnt had much sleep because of the fear that theymay be killed anytime. (Affidavit of Espera dated February 21, 2010and attached to the CHR Complaint dated 25 Feb 2010 as AnnexQ)(18) Complainant-Detainee Jacqueline GONZALES, female, 28years old, was subjected to force, intimidation and physicalabuse by being compelled to lay flat on the floor, beinghandcuffed and later on blindfolded for several days withminimal food, water and rest.Gonzales was continuously interrogated by the military whileshe was blindfolded and handcuffed with threats of beingsummarily killed. She was threatened that they would force meinto a van, with the military saying Stroll tayo, (Lets go for aride) when she refused to answer their questions.

Gonzales continuously asserted her right to have a lawyer andher right against self-incrimination but the military unlawfullyrefused to let her consult her lawyer. She was subjected toconstant sleep deprivation techniques, indignities and abuse,and was forced to wear pampers and deprived of her right toprivacy and to go toilet.The military continuously forced Gonzales to respond to their

psychological harassment and unlawful custodial interrogationin the middle of the night, alone, and without counsel. When herhandcuffs and blindfold were removed, the unlawfulinterrogations continued and she was intermittently woken upand interrogated in the middle of the night in isolation withoutthe presence of a counsel. The psychological torture and sleepdeprivation has caused her mental anguish, suffering andintense physical and mental stress.


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For several days, Gonzales demand to be allowed to consulther counsel was denied and she was only allowed to consult hercounsel on February 11, or five days after her unlawful arrest.

(Affidavit of Gonzales dated February 21, 2010 and attached to theCHR Complaint dated 25 Feb 2010 asAnnex R)

(19) Complainant-Detainee Janice JAVIER, female, 27 years old,woke up at around 6:00 am. She went to the kitchen to have herbreakfast. While she was eating, she saw armed sold ierswalking around the area. She thought that they were justregularly roaming around the area. But she was surprised to seethat their number gradually increased until there were more thana 100.

Soon, the soldiers suddenly entered the kitchen and Javier waswith three other co-trainees at that time and they were told to sitnear the dining area. They asked the sold iers the reason fortheir actions, but they were ignored. She noticed the soldiersand policemen were sporting CIDG and Pulis Rizal prints. Theywere asked to go outside the kitchen and we were lined up onthe driveway. Their other co-trainees were also directed to goto the driveway.While Javier and company were outside, the soldiers went in therooms and searched for things. They asked the soldiers severaltimes the reason why they were conducting the search but notone of the soldiers gave any explanation. They also did notshow them any search warrant. After searching the rooms, thedetainees were allowed to enter the rooms to get their things.Their names were taken and their things were examined.

When Javier and company were already blindfolded andhandcuffed, they were forced to ride a vehicle. At around8:00am, they left the farmhouse without any information fromthe police and soldiers where they will take them. They travelledfor almost an hour before reaching the place where they weretaken. They were brought to a room and there, the sold iersstarted interrogating them while blindfolded and their hands

tied. They asked her name and asked if she happened to knownames of alleged NPA members.Whenever Javier did not answer or they did not like her answer,they hit her on her thighs and kicked her chair. She told themthat she wil l speak only if her lawyer is present. But they saidthat there was no lawyer and told her to wait for one year for herlawyer.After that, they got Javiers fingerprints while her hands weretied and while blindfolded, which was removed just to take herphotograph with her name on it.

They continued to interrogate Javier unti l 1:30am. She knew thetime because she set the alarm of my clock at that exact time.They did not make her sleep. (Affidavit of Javier dated February 15(21), 2010 and attached to the CHR Complaint dated 25 Feb 2010 asAnnex S)

(20) Complainant-Detainee Sylvia LABRADOR, female, 43 yearsold, practically had the same experience as the rest of her co-


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detainees. At approximately 6:00 am, while they were gettingready for breakfast and getting ready to take a bath or taking abath before resuming session for that day, they were surprisedwith the entry of the farmhouse of many uniformed mili tary each

armed with long firearms. They were shouting and pointed theirguns towards them and told them to lie prone.

Labrador and her co-participants were bunched and lined-uplike animals by the said soldiers, frisked and their money,cellphones, and personal belongings confiscated. They wereblindfolded and tied behind the back. The blindfold used wasmade of cloth and tightened even more with packing tapewhile the hand-binding was made of hard plastic.

By about noon, Labrador and company were loaded into

different vehicles. They were taken to Camp Capinpin andmoved later to a detention center in the said camp. She herselfused to be all alone in her cramped prison cell but eventuallywas accompanied by another co-detainee in one cell. Theinterrogations were unending and repeated coupled withthreats. She reckoned she was interrogated more than tentimes even in the middle of the night, lasting from two to tenhours continuously. They also got her cellphone and cash.Labrador was being forced to confess that she is an NPA whichis untrue. There are certain names which are alleged to be NPAmembers and she was being forced to pinpoint those people.Because of the suffering she was experiencing and the desire tobe with her family, she was forced to admit that she was anNPA.In every interrogation without the presence of counsel, Labradorwas always terrorized by making her hear frighteningstatements like deretso na yan sa hukay (send her straight tothe grave) or ilagay na sa backhoe (place her in the backhoe).Even after they have been visited by their lawyers, theinterrogations have not stopped. They are woken up even late atnight. She says one cannot help but tremble in fear.

In Labradors estimate, she was blindfolded for about 34 hoursfrom the time the soldiers forcibly took them from the medicaltrain ing. During that period, she was fed by the guards sinceher hands were tied up and she was blindfolded. The worst partis that the female guard was the one who took off her pants andunderwear when she needed to go to the comfort room. Shewas really humiliated since the lady guard will be the one wipingher after she used the comfort room. They also put diapers onher and she cant object because she was really scared. Shecant even urinate because she was afraid of wetting her pants.She really endured this for a long time since she saw thesoldiers get mad at those who go to the comfort roomfrequently.Labrador also learned from her companions and based fromtheir experience after they ate bitter foods and drank water thatthey would get dizzy and feel sleepy. They would haveheadaches because of lack of sleep .When they fall asleep; theywould wake them up to continue their interrogation. They reallywould not want them to sleep.


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For the longest time, Labrador would remain really scared andtraumatized. She would be jumpy even with a simple noisecaused by the opening and closing of the steel prison cell and

the noise produced by footsteps. In fact, she cant measure thepsychological torture she experienced and that until now shecant sleep soundly at night. Until now, she cant help but shiverand cant even bring back her appetite. (Affidavit of Labradordated February 21, 2010 and attached to the CHR Complaint dated25 Feb 2010 asAnnex T)(21) Complainant-Detainee Gary LIBERAL, male, 43 years old,was invited by CHD in the second week of January to teachcommunity based health workers from the different provinces ofLuzon in a seminar called Community First Responders HealthTraining to be held February 1-7, 2010. In particular, he was

requested to handle a workshop on nursing skills training forcommunity health workers. He arrived in the place of training onthe night of February 5.The following day, Liberal woke up at around 6:00 am. He sleptin the conference room together with Dr. Alex Montes who is amedical doctor and who was also invited to teach in the saidseminar and a participant whom he did not know. When hewoke up, they went to the kitchen located below the conferenceroom to relieve him of the call of nature.

Liberal was on his way back to the conference room whiletaking the stairs when he saw many men in soldiers uniforms,with helmets and carrying long firearms pointed at them. He didnot pay much attention to this because he thought this wasmerely a drill or exercise as part of the fiesta celebration of theplace on the same day. He was called and made to sit besideDr. Montes and others he did not know.After a while, Liberal saw many men in military uniform enter.They did not let them know who they were nor did they say whattheir purpose was. They were already surrounded by more than100 armed soldiers in uniform. He also saw participants forciblyordered out of their rooms, mostly women. After they wereforced out, the military entered all the rooms and conducted a

search. No one among the uniformed sold iers explained to themthe reason for what they were doing. In spite of their asking, noone answered. The mili tary did not show any search warrant tothem. The participants were also not allowed to witness thesearches of the rooms and their things.

While the soldiers were searching the rooms and their things,Liberal and company were ordered to fall in line outside andtheir hands were tied with plast ic cords. After the searches,they were blindfolded one by one. Although they protested andinsisted on calling their lawyers, the military did not listen to

them.Liberal and the other participants were one-by-one forciblyloaded onto a vehicle that he did not see because of theblindfold. It was around 9:00 AM when they left the farmhouseof Dr. Velmonte. The trip took more or less one hour before theyarrived at the destination.When they arrived, the military did not remove Liberalsblindfolds. They were pulled-out one by one from the vehicle,


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walked and brought to what he estimated to be an open roomor space. He was made to sit on a monoblock chair, with hishands still tied at the back and still blindfolded. Though hecould not see anything, he could feel he had company because

he heard murmurings. His personal things such as laptop,cellphone, ATM card, credit card and important documents weretaken and have not been returned since.

Not long after, they started questioning Liberal. They asked hisname, where he lives, the names of his family and relatives,what he was doing in the farmhouse. He insisted on his right toa lawyer but he was just ignored.

Afterwards they took Liberals fingerprints while still blindfoldedbut he did not see or read the documents where they put hisfingerprints. They temporarily removed his blindfold to take hisphotograph.Liberals interrogation continued. They asked me if he is amember of the CPP or if he took a course of the party. Oncethey insisted that he is a member of the party. The mil itary manquestioning him told him: Ill take care of you, just tell me thetruth you will not become a desaparecidos. You just cooperatewith us I will help you. While he was being questioned, heheard someone shouting and admitting that he is a member ofNPA.They never allowed Liberal to sleep even for just a second. Theywake him up when they notice that he was falling asleep. The

questioning or interrogation started in the morning of February6 and continued up to the evening of February 7. All throughoutthis time he was blindfolded and his hands were tied. (Affidavit ofLiberal dated February 15 (21), 2010 and attached to the CHRComplaint dated 25 Feb 2010 asAnnex U)

(22) Complainant-Detainee Reynaldo MACABENTA, male, 30years old, independently and substantially corroborated thecollective accounts, narrations, recollections and experience ofhis co-detainees on the material points regarding the healthtraining, the circumstances of their illegal arrest and detention,

the repeated interrogations and indignities, the line ofquestioning and common accusations leveled against them, thesequence of events, the harrowing experience they suffered andthe multifarious violations of their rights.

(For further additional details, please see Affidavit of Macabentadated February 21, 2010 and attached to the CHR Complaint dated25 Feb 2010 asAnnex Vand his Supplemental Affidavit dated 7March 2010 attached as Annex T to the CHR SupplementalComplaint dated 12 March 2010)

(23) Complainant-Detainee EMELIA MARQUEZ, female, 20 yearsold, independently and substantially corroborated the collectiveaccounts, narrations, recollections and experience of her co-detainees on the material points regarding the health training,the circumstances of their illegal arrest and detention, therepeated interrogations and indignities, the line of questioningand common accusations leveled against them, the sequence of


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events, the harrowing experience they suffered and themultifarious violations of their rights.

(For further additional details, please see Affidavit of Emelia Marquez

dated February 21, 2010 and attached to the CHR Complaint dated25 Feb 2010 asAnnex Wand his Supplemental Affidavit dated 7March 2010 attached as Annex V to the CHR SupplementalComplaint dated 12 March 2010)

(24) Complainant-Detainee EMILY MARQUEZ, female, 23 yearsold, independently and substantially corroborated the collectiveaccounts, narrations, recollections and experience of her co-detainees on the material points regarding the health training,the circumstances of their illegal arrest and detention, therepeated interrogations and indignities, the line of questioningand common accusations leveled against them, the sequence ofevents, the harrowing experience they suffered and themultifarious violations of their rights.

(For further additional details, please see Affidavit of Emily Marquezdated February 21, 2010 and attached to the CHR Complaint dated25 Feb 2010 asAnnex Xand his Supplemental Affidavit dated 7March 2010 attached as Annex W to the CHR SupplementalComplaint dated 12 March 2010)

(25) Complainant-Detainee Pearl Irene MARTINEZ, female, 25years old, independently and substantially corroborated the

collective accounts, narrations, recollections and experience ofher co-detainees on the material points regarding the healthtraining, the circumstances of their illegal arrest and detention,the repeated interrogations and indignities, the line ofquestioning and common accusations leveled against them, thesequence of events, the harrowing experience they suffered andthe multifarious violations of their rights.

(For further additional details, please see Affidavit of Emelia Marquezdated February 21, 2010 and attached to the CHR Complaint dated25 Feb 2010 asAnnex Yand his Supplemental Affidavit dated 7

March 2010 attached as Annex U to the CHR SupplementalComplaint dated 12 March 2010)

(26) Complainant-Detainee Ace MILLENA, male, 22 years old,independently and substantially corroborated the collectiveaccounts, narrations, recollections and experience of his co-detainees on the material points regarding the health training,the circumstances of their illegal arrest and detention, therepeated interrogations and indignities, the line of questioningand common accusations leveled against them, the sequence ofevents, the harrowing experience they suffered and the

multifarious violations of their rights.(For further additional details, please see Affidavit of Millena datedFebruary 21, 2010 and attached to the CHR Complaint dated 25 Feb2010 as Annex Z and his Supplemental Affidavit dated 7 March2010 attached as Annex X to the CHR Supplemental Complaintdated 12 March 2010)


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(27) Complainant-Detainee Dr. Alexis MONTES, male, 62 yearsold, independently and substantially corroborated the collectiveaccounts, narrations, recollections and experience of her co-detainees on the material points regarding the health training,

the circumstances of their illegal arrest and detention, therepeated interrogations and indignities, the line of questioningand common accusations leveled against them, the sequence ofevents, the harrowing experience they suffered and themultifarious violations of their rights.Additionally, Montes was invited by CHD in the second week ofJanuary to teach in the training and was requested to handle aworkshop on trauma and basic surgery training. He just wokeup at the time the incident happened. He slept at the conferenceroom together with Complainant-Detainee Liberal. He wentdown to the kitchen to get coffee.

Montes actually thought that the presence of the soldiers was just a drill. One of the soldiers even shouted that they had asearch warrant with them. Because he actually thought it was adrill or exercise, he even answered and volunteered theinformation that the owner of the house was at the back and thatthey might f ind there the person they were looking for.

That night, Montes was made to walk and brought near a ravine.The military interrogator proclaimed that he holds the formerslife from that moment on. Montes reiterated his demand to gethis own lawyer but the military said that no lawyer will come

over and that he is too far away from his friends and relatives.(Walang pupuntang abugado dito! Malayo kayo sa mga kaibigan atkamag-anak.) Every question thrown at him was accompaniedby a tap on his shoulder which could make him fall into theravine any time.Montes would be hit on the chest several times whenever hewould deny the various allegations the military asked him. Hewould eventually fall down and hit his knee on the rocks. Hewas picked by a wooden stick on his chest so that he would notfall asleep. At an area where a military commander wouldintroduce himself as Vicente, alligator clips which were

probably connected to an electric power source were placed onhis head which numbed his hands and arms, disabled him towalk, made his eyes and face feel heavy, made him sleepy, andmade both his thighs twitch. He was made to drink water mixedwith undissolved granules. He was made to smell somethingthat smelled like aroma. The interrogation momentarily stoppedand the alligator clips removed only when he started to feelchest pains and had difficulty of breathing. He had to be bodilylifted to his seat again as his whole body was numb and hecould not stand. Vicente would late tell him that physicaltor ture is SOP to them.

Because his hands already had abrasions and had started tonumb because of prolonged restraint, Montes was forced towrite a short biography which the interrogators asked him inexchange for not putting back the plastic binds on his wrists.(Affidavit of Montes dated February 21, 2010 and attached to theCHR Complaint dated 25 Feb 2010 asAnnex AA)


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(28) Complainant-Detainee Glenda MURILLO, female, 26 yearsold, independently and substantially corroborated the collectiveaccounts, narrations, recollections and experience of her co-detainees on the material points regarding the health training,

the circumstances of their illegal arrest and detention, therepeated interrogations and indignities, the line of questioningand common accusations leveled against them, the sequence ofevents, the harrowing experience they suffered and themultifarious violations of their rights.(For further additional details, please see Affidavit of Murillo datedFebruary 21, 2010 and attached to the CHR Complaint dated 25 Feb2010 asAnnex BBand his Supplemental Affidavit dated 7 March2010 attached as Annex Z to the CHR Supplemental Complaintdated 12 March 2010)

(29) Complainant-Detainee Lydia OBERA, female, 61 years old,independently and substantially corroborated the collectiveaccounts, narrations, recollections and experience of her co-detainees on the material points regarding the health training,the circumstances of their illegal arrest and detention, therepeated interrogations and indignities, the line of questioningand common accusations leveled against them, the sequence ofevents, the harrowing experience they suffered and themultifarious violations of their rights.(For further additional details, please see Affidavit of Obera datedFebruary 21, 2010 and attached to the CHR Complaint dated 25 Feb2010 asAnnex CCand his Supplemental Affidavit dated 7 March

2010 attached asAnnex AAto the CHR Supplemental Complaintdated 12 March 2010)

(30) Complainant-Detainee Delia OCASLA, female, 46 years old,independently and substantially corroborated the collectiveaccounts, narrations, recollections and experience of her co-detainees on the material points regarding the health training,the circumstances of their illegal arrest and detention, therepeated interrogations and indignities, the line of questioningand common accusations leveled against them, the sequence ofevents, the harrowing experience they suffered and the

multifarious violations of their rights.(For further additional details, please see Affidavit of Ocasla datedFebruary 21, 2010 and attached to the CHR Complaint dated 25 Feb2010 asAnnex DDand his Supplemental Affidavit dated 7 March2010 attached asAnnex BBto the CHR Supplemental Complaintdated 12 March 2010)

(31) Complainant-Detainee Carina OLIVEROS, female, 26 yearsold, independently and substantially corroborated the collectiveaccounts, narrations, recollections and experience of her co-detainees on the material points regarding the health training,

the circumstances of their illegal arrest and detention, therepeated interrogations and indignities, the line of questioningand common accusations leveled against them, the sequence ofevents, the harrowing experience they suffered and themultifarious violations of their rights.(For further additional details, please see Affidavit of Oliveros datedFebruary 21, 2010 and attached to the CHR Complaint dated 25 Feb2010 asAnnex EEand his Supplemental Affidavit dated 7 March


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2010 attached asAnnex EEto the CHR Supplemental Complaintdated 12 March 2010)

(32) Complainant-Detainee Jovy ORTIZ, male, 23 years old,

independently and substantially corroborated the collectiveaccounts, narrations, recollections and experience of his co-detainees on the material points regarding the health training,the circumstances of their illegal arrest and detention, therepeated interrogations and indignities, the line of questioningand common accusations leveled against them, the sequence ofevents, the harrowing experience they suffered and themultifarious violations of their rights.(For further additional details, please see Affidavit of Ortiz datedFebruary 21, 2010 and attached to the CHR Complaint dated 25 Feb2010 asAnnex FFand his Supplemental Affidavit dated 7 March2010 attached asAnnex CCto the CHR Supplemental Complaintdated 12 March 2010)

(33) Complainant-Detainee Miann OSEO, female, 31 years old,independently and substantially corroborated the collectiveaccounts, narrations, recollections and experience of her co-detainees on the material points regarding the health training,the circumstances of their illegal arrest and detention, therepeated interrogations and indignities, the line of questioningand common accusations leveled against them, the sequence ofevents, the harrowing experience they suffered and themultifarious violations of their rights.

(For further additional details, please see Affidavit of Oseo datedFebruary 21, 2010 and attached to the CHR Complaint dated 25 Feb2010 asAnnex GGand his Supplemental Affidavit dated 7 March2010 attached asAnnex DDto the CHR Supplemental Complaintdated 12 March 2010)

(34) Complainant-Detainee Linda OTANEZ, female, 35 years old,independently and substantially corroborated the collectiveaccounts, narrations, recollections and experience of her co-detainees on the material points regarding the health training,the circumstances of their illegal arrest and detention, the

repeated interrogations and indignities, the line of questioningand common accusations leveled against them, the sequence ofevents, the harrowing experience they suffered and themultifarious violations of their rights.(For further additional details, please see Affidavit of Otanez datedFebruary 21, 2010 and attached to the CHR Complaint dated 25 Feb2010 asAnnex HHand his Supplemental Affidavit dated 7 March2010 attached asAnnex FFto the CHR Supplemental Complaintdated 12 March 2010)

(35) Complainant-Detainee Valentino PAULINO, was arrested by

the police and military at around 6:00 a.m. and was handcuffed,blindfolded and taken to a place that he did not know. He andhis co-trainees have been blindfolded for almost two days andone night. They did nothing but to ask him repeatedly the samequestions.When Paulino and company were transferred to detention cells,he heard many gun shots. After that, they were led to their cellsand after a while, a man went inside his cell and asked him if he


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was still stubborn. That would incident would be repeated a fewmore nights.

Then, still blindfo lded, Paulino was made to sign papers and his

fingerprints taken. They told me that he should not be worriedand the charges against him would be dismissed if he wouldonly cooperate with them. They even told him that they aregood as friends but they can also kill people. That is why he felteven more horrified that forced him to agree to their wish thatthey would secure him and his family. (Affidavit of Paulino datedFebruary 21, 2010 and attached to the CHR Complaint dated 25 Feb2010 asAnnex II)(36) Complainant-Detainee Danny PINERO, male, 41 years old,independently and substantially corroborated the collectiveaccounts, narrations, recollections and experience of his co-detainees on the material points regarding the health training,the circumstances of their illegal arrest and detention, therepeated interrogations and indignities, the line of questioningand common accusations leveled against them, the sequence ofevents, the harrowing experience they suffered and themultifarious violations of their rights.

(For further additional details, please see Affidavit of Pinero datedFebruary 21, 2010 and attached to the CHR Complaint dated 25 Feb2010 asAnnex JJand his Supplemental Affidavit dated 7 March2010 attached asAnnex GGto the CHR Supplemental Complaintdated 12 March 2010)

(37) Complainant-Detainee Jenolan PIZARRO, female,independently and substantially corroborated the collectiveaccounts, narrations, recollections and experience of her co-detainees on the material points regarding the health training,the circumstances of their illegal arrest and detention, therepeated interrogations and indignities, the line of questioningand common accusations leveled against them, the sequence ofevents, the harrowing experience they suffered and themultifarious violations of their rights.Additionally, Pizarro recounted that she had just woken up that

morning when the incident happened. She was brought out to avery cold place and there she was threatened to be killed if shewill not confess.

Pizarros body would very often quiver uncontrollablyand shewould feel ill at ease due to the overwhelming fear caused bythe threats and intimidation and endless interrogations by themilitary.(Affidavit of Pizarro dated February 21, 2010 and attached to theCHR Complaint dated 25 Feb 2010 asAnnex KK)

(38) Complainant-Detainee Ma. Teresa QUINAWAYAN, female,26 years old, independently and substantially corroborated thecollective accounts, narrations, recollections and experience ofher co-detainees on the material points regarding the healthtraining, the circumstances of their illegal arrest and detention,the repeated interrogations and indignities, the line ofquestioning and common accusations leveled against them, thesequence of events, the harrowing experience they suffered and


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the multifarious violations of their rights.

(For further additional details, please see Affidavit of Quinawayandated February 21, 2010 and attached to the CHR Complaint dated

25 Feb 2010 asAnnex LL and his Supplemental Affidavit dated 7March 2010 attached as Annex HH to the CHR SupplementalComplaint dated 12 March 2010)

(39) Complainant-Detainee Franco ROMEROSO, male, 28 yearsold, independently and substantially corroborated the collectiveaccounts, narrations, recollections and experience of his co-detainees on the material points regarding the health training,the circumstances of their illegal arrest and detention, therepeated interrogations and indignities, the line of questioningand common accusations leveled against them, the sequence ofevents, the harrowing experience they suffered and themultifarious violations of their rights.(For further additional details, please see Affidavit of Romerosodated February 21, 2010 and attached to the CHR Complaint dated25 Feb 2010 asAnnex MMand his Supplemental Affidavit dated 7March 2010 attached as Annex II to the CHR SupplementalComplaint dated 12 March 2010)

(40) Complainant-Detainee Lorelyn SALIGUMBA, female, 23years old, independently and substantially corroborated thecollective accounts, narrations, recollections and experience ofher co-detainees on the material points regarding the health

training, the circumstances of their illegal arrest and detention,the repeated interrogations and indignities, the line ofquestioning and common accusations leveled against them, thesequence of events, the harrowing experience they suffered andthe multifarious violations of their rights.

(For further additional details, please see Affidavit of Saligumbadated February 21, 2010 and attached to the CHR Complaint dated25 Feb 2010 asAnnex NNand his Supplemental Affidavit dated 7March 2010 attached as Annex JJ to the CHR SupplementalComplaint dated 12 March 2010)

(41) Complainant-Detainee Ma. Elena SERATO, female, 35 yearsold, independently and substantially corroborated the collectiveaccounts, narrations, recollections and experience of her co-detainees on the material points regarding the health training,the circumstances of their illegal arrest and detention, therepeated interrogations and indignities, the line of questioningand common accusations leveled against them, the sequence ofevents, the harrowing experience they suffered and themultifarious violations of their rights.

(For further additional details, please see Affidavit of Serato datedFebruary 21, 2010 and attached to the CHR Complaint dated 25 Feb2010 asAnnex OOand his Supplemental Affidavit dated 7 March2010 attached asAnnex KKto the CHR Supplemental Complaintdated 12 March 2010)

(42) Complainant-Detainee Chenilyn TAWAGON, female, alsoindependently and substantially corroborated the collective


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accounts, narrations, recollections and experienc

Documents

Morong43 Final Chronology of Experiences of Complainant Detainees