of the Philippines the criminal justice system is - Article 2

following us?” He replied, “Bandang kanto ng hospital nakita kong
sumunod, parang nag-cut mula sa kanto. (In the vicinity of the hospital,
near the corner, I saw that it started following us, it seems to have swerved
from the corner.)” I replied, “Sige sa EDSA ninyo idiretso, mag-U-turn
tayo sa ilalim ng fly-over, pero huwag kayong hihinto, diretso lang.
(Okay, go directly to EDSA, make a U-turn under the fly-over, but do not
stop, just go straight.)”
We turned left on East Avenue and proceeded towards EDSA. I then
looked back again and vaguely saw a black motorcycle with two men
riding but it was quite a distance and they were partly hidden by the
other vehicles. When we made a U-turn under the fly-over near GMA-7
station, I saw that the black motorcycle (model like a dirt bike) was one
vehicle away and also making a U-turn. Riding it were two men wearing
black helmets and dark-colored jackets. I was able to see that the
motorcycle did not have a license plate.
I instructed the taxi driver to go towards Timog Avenue (turning right)
and take one side street (the jeepney route) towards E. Rodriguez. The
black motorcycle was still following us. Before we were to turn left
towards the side street (which was three or four corners from GMA-7),
the taxi driver said, “Ma’m, dalawa na sila. (Ma’m, there are now two
motorcycles.)” I again looked back.
I saw another black motorcycle (bigger model than the dirt bike and
similar to what SWAT teams use) with two men riding it. They were also
wearing helmets and dark-colored jackets. The second motorcycle was
around ten meters behind the first motorcycle. When we turned the
corner, I asked the taxi driver, “Manong, paano ninyo nasabi na dalawa
sila? Magkasama sila? (Manong [term for elder male], how can you say
that there are two? Are they together?)” The driver replied, “Parang
synchro ang kilos eh. (It’s as if their movements are synchronized.)”
At the end of the street, we turned left towards E. Rodriquez. When I
looked back again, I saw that the second motorcycle was now one vehicle
behind us and the first motorcycle was further back.
The two motorcycles followed us the entire stretch of E. Rodriguez,
maintaining a distance of one or two vehicles (even if there was no
vehicle between us and them), did not attempt to overtake us and always
rode diagonal from each other.
I instructed the taxi driver to turn right on New York Street and towards
Lantana Street.
When we turned right on New York Street, the two motorcycles did not
follow anymore and sped straight towards the direction of Cubao. I saw
that the second motorcycle also did not have a license plate.
All four men did not have any bags with them. I was not able to see if the
back-riders were wearing gloves (like the driver’s) because they always
had their hands in their pockets or were hidden whenever I had the
chance to look towards their direction.
97
“
as long as the Government of the Republic of the Philippines does not
have the will to implement genuine and proper measures to bring an end
to human rights defenders’ extrajudicial killings and prosecute their
perpetrators, the death penalty will still be in force in the Philippines...
—Nuria Tovar Velãzquez, Spain”
article 2 • February 2007 Vol. 6, No. 1 105