v11n0203

and behind his ears. Each time they applied the electricity they
held it against him for few seconds. They poured cold water on
his face and body every time he lost consciousness. Both his feet
became swollen when they were struck repeatedly with an iron
bar. he was also punched about the stomach and chest several
times. mansur sensed there were three persons questioning him
while six others were torturing him. he was also deprived of food
and water.
For seven consecutive days, mansur experienced the same
ordeal and was taken to three different rooms where he was
interrogated and tortured. within this period, he was only given
food and water on two occasions. he also remained chained.
On 16 January 2009, mansur was loaded onto a vehicle,
handcuffed and blindfolded and taken somewhere on a journey
that lasted for about three hours. upon reaching their destination,
he was taken to a room where he was fed. But, as soon as he
finished eating he was shoved to the cement floor. There, he was
held incommunicado for two weeks. During those two weeks
he was fed only once a day, either breakfast or lunch. After two
weeks of his detention his custodians began spoon-feeding him.
however, when mansur asked the custodian to feed him slowly so
that he had enough time to chew the food he would be punched.
If the food dropped on the person feeding him, the person would
hit his mouth with a spoon, kick him and punched his face. he
was also fed one or two spoonfuls of chilies every meal.
his ordeal went on until 28 march 2009. On that day, he was
taken back to the military headquarters at the Awang Airport
where he was held until 6 April 2009. During the entire day of
the journey he was not given food and water.
On one occasion, mansur was taken to a doctor but the doctor
did not properly examine him. he was only asked if he was in pain
and had his blood pressure checked. mansur was reluctant to
tell the doctor of his ordeal as he was hoping that should he keep
quiet about what had happened to him, they would release him.
On 7 April 2009 at 12noon, Mansur was first taken and
remanded to the north Cotabato Provincial Jail in Amas,
Kidapawan City. Two of those taking him into custody made
him sign some documents, the contents of which were also not
properly explained to him. It was learned later that those who had
remanded him to prison were soldiers. It was only after entering
the jail that his handcuffs and blindfold were removed by a jail
guard. The soldiers who took custody of him deliberately falsified
the date they took custody of the victim, recording 1 April instead
of 9 January 2009, obviously to cover up the incident.
mansur later learned that he had been charged with two counts
of frustrated murder in connection with a bombing that took
place in Kidapawan City, and 29 counts of arson regarding the
burning of houses that took place in 2008, reportedly perpetrated
article 2 � June-Sept 2012 Vol. 11, No. 2-3
“
Salih ankles were
chained and the
soldiers applied
electric shocks to his
sex organ, his body
and behind his ears.
”
67