of the Philippines the criminal justice system is - Article 2

with rifles and the others had .45-calibre pistols. The armed men
then forced Cadir towards the van. During the scuffle, Sitti fell to
the ground. She saw her husband was forced to sit on the floor of
the van. When she tried to get up and follow, another man stopped
her by aiming an Armalite rifle. She was told to run away, but
she ignored him. Minutes later, the van sped off in an unknown
direction.
Nicolas Sanchez & Heherson Medina:
Often seen but never found
On 18 September 2006, Nicolas Sanchez (27) and Heherson
Medina (29) were allegedly abducted around 1am by around 30
soldiers in camouflage uniforms, while they were catching frogs
in Sitio Cabatuan, Barangay Bueno, Capas, Tarlac Province.
The two victims are cousins from the indigenous Aeta group
of northern Philippines who earned their livelihoods as farmers.
According to family members they had no involvement in local
politics whatsoever.
The two victims were reportedly seen in a military truck at
the gate of the Northern Luzon Command at Camp Servillano
Aquino, San Miguel, Tarlac City on September 21. The truck
was later identified as the same model of vehicle as that spotted
at the compound of the 71st Infantry Battalion of the Philippine
Army in Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac City.
The victims were also seen on September 24 and again on
November 1 at the Bravo Company compound of the 71st IB in
Aqua Farm, located inside of the Hacienda Luisita in Barangay
Cut-Cut II, Tarlac City.
Two officers, Second Lieutenant Ali Sumangil of Bravo
Company, 71st IB and Technical Sergeant Gil Q. Villalobos both
allegedly have known the whereabouts of the two victims.
A local rights group, Find, and the Region III office of the
national Commission on Human Rights have made inquiries to
the military about eyewitness testimonies that the two victims
had been seen at various military camps in Tarlac City, but these
reports have been denied. It was since reported that the military
had been searching for two persons who gave information about
having seen the men, who had to go into hiding.
Sherlyn Cadapan & others:
“Are you looking for the women?”
Two student activists, Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeño,
disappeared on 26 June 2006 while staying at a house in
Purok 6, Barangay San Miguel, Hagonoy. Sherlyn Cadapan was
pregnant at the time of the incident. One witness related that
during the abduction Cadapan was kicked in the stomach by
one of her abductors. Empeño was reportedly blindfolded with her
own shirt after it had been taken off her by one of the abductors.
85
VICTIMS:
1. Nicolas Sanchez
2. Heherson Medina
INCIDENT: Disappearance
ALLEGED PERPETRATORS:
71st IB personnel, including
2nd Lt. Ali Sumangil (Bravo
Co.) & Tech. Sgt. Gil Q.
Villalobos
DATE: 18 September 2006
AHRC UA-018-2007
86
VICTIMS:
1. Sherlyn Cadapan
(pregnant)
2. Karen Empeño
3. Manuel Merino
INCIDENT: Disappearance
ALLEGED PERPETRATORS:
56th IB personnel
DATE: 26 June 2006
AHRC UA-245-2006
article 2 • February 2007 Vol. 6, No. 1 89