of the Philippines the criminal justice system is - Article 2

warning of a plan to bomb the bus terminal in Cotabato City.
Abedin’s colleagues decided to stay on vigil outside the
headquarters until he was released.
Uztadz Kusain Abedin was freed around 9:40pm on August 4
after negotiations between a lawyer brought by Abedin’s relatives
and the military men who arrested him. The officers insisted
that his name was included on an arrest warrant, but could not
produce any such document. They appeared to have acted on
unverified information.
103
VICTIMS:
1. Shamroud Adulaziz
2. Blanche Yamba
3. Bill Andres
4. Juvy Hornales
INCIDENT: Intimidation
ALLEGED PERPETRATORS:
Unkown
DATE: 5 July 2006
AHRC UA-228-2006
104
VICTIM:
Marissa Dumanjug-Palo
INCIDENT: Intimidation
ALLEGED PERPETRATORS:
Four unidentified men
DATE: 31 May 2006
AHRC UA-178-2006
104
Shamroud Adulaziz & others: “Your days are numbered”
On 5 July 2006, four spokespersons of groups based in General
Santos City, Mindanao—Shamroud Adulaziz of human rights
group Karapatan, Blanche Yamba of the Gabriela Women’s Party,
Bill Andres of the Bayan alliance and Juvy Hornales of youth
group Anak Bayan—received SMS messages from 09066677136,
saying that, “Supporters of the Communist Party of the
Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-
NPA-NDF) your days are numbered - AralSaMasa”.
Prior to the incident, on July 4, a local tabloid newspaper
published a story quoting an intelligence report that a “death
squad” is plotting to kill seven leaders of progressive organisations
in the area. Neither the source of the story nor a by-line was
provided.
It was learned that AralSaMasa sent similar SMS messages
to George and Maricel Vigo two weeks before they were killed on
June 19 (see case above).
The four persons approached General Santos City Mayor Pedro
Acharon Jr. and City Councillor Eduardo Leyson III, chairman of
the Committee on Peace and Order, requesting intervention; no
action was known to have been taken by them. When three of
the four met Acharaon on July 11, they found that no credible
investigations had been conducted.
Marissa Dumanjug-Palo:
“Did you notice the motorcycle following us?”
On 31 May 2006, Marissa Dumanjug-Palo, an official with the
National Democratic Front and former staff of human rights group
Karapatan’s national office was on her way to her office in a
taxicab when four unidentified men riding on two motorcycles
followed her. Below is her account of what occured.
Around 11:15am today, 31 May 2006, I hailed a taxi along V. Luna Road,
Quezon City, in the vicinity of V. Luna hospital (several establishments
away) on my way to the office. The taxi went towards the direction of
East Avenue.
The taxi driver called my attention when we reached the traffic light
(red) in the corner of V. Luna Road and East Avenue by saying, “Ma’m,
napansin nyo ba yung motorsiklo na nakasunod? (Ma’m, did you notice
the motorcycle following us?)” I looked back but did not see a motorcycle.
I asked him, “Bakit po? Saan ninyo nakita na nakasunod? (Why po
[expression of respect for elder]? Where did you notice that it was
article 2 • February 2007 Vol. 6, No. 1