v11n0203

Story 54: Torture and arbitrary detention of a man
by a paramilitary group
Victim: Luicito Bustamante (a.k.a. Yongyong), 21, farmer, of
Sitio Quarry, Barangay Malabog, Paquibato District, Davao City
Alleged perpetrators: A paramilitary group under the 73rd IB-
PA led by Noli Obat
Place of incident: At a checkpoint by elements of a paramilitary
group under the 73rd IB-PA in Sitio Quarry, Barangay Malabog,
Paquibato District, Davao City
Date of incident: 27 October 2007at 2pm. He was released on
November 14 after being held in custody by the soldiers and
paramilitary.
AHRC-UP-158-2007
Luicito Bustamante was illegally detained, tortured and
deliberately denied contact with his family while in military
custody for 12 days in Paquibato District, Davao City. he was
together with his friends, Salazar Amad and Avelino Lorenzana,
distributing election handbills when noli Obat, a member of a
paramilitary unit under the control of the military, took him for
questioning.
Obat and eight of his companions in military uniform and
armed with M16 and Carbine rifles stopped Bustamante’s group
at a checkpoint. noli questioned them demanding disclosure of
their names, addresses and the place they were going. while
they let Salazar and Avelino go, noli held Bustamante in their
custody to question him claiming they received reports that he
was a member of an illegal armed group, the nPA.
Obat deliberately refused to let Bustamante go. After he was
questioned in custody, he was later turned over to his superior
military officers at their headquarters in Sitio Balogo, Barangay
malabog. Obat angrily refused to allow Bustamante’s friends,
Salazar and Avelino, who offered to stay with him to accompany
him as they feared for his safety. They were forced to leave.
Salazar and Avelino sought the assistance hilario Etolle, a
community leader, who accompanied them back to the checkpoint.
There they saw Luicito being held by noli and other members of
the paramilitary. when hilario asked noli why he was arresting
Luicito, noli arrogantly told him: “Don’t meddle in this, or you’ll
be implicated!” Even Bustamante’s elder sister, who came to beg
noli to release her brother, was unable to see him. They held
Bustamante in their detachment covering his head with balaclava.
Salazar and Avelino reported to the PnP station in Barangay
malabog about noli and his group arresting and detaining
Bustamante in their custody; however, the police did nothing.
Bustamante’s relatives and neighbours had to form a group to
locate him. His family and relatives also filed a complaint with
the ChR in Davao City.
article 2 � June-Sept 2012 Vol. 11, No. 2-3
Luicito Bustamante
Photo: Davao Today
“
Don’t meddle
in this, or you’ll be
implicated! ”
- Noli Obat,
a member of a
paramilitary unit.
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