CHR says Isafp men liable in Erap 5’s case

SHORT of admitting that members of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (Isafp) illegally arrested five supporters of former President Joseph Estrada, the Armed Forces has ordered the conduct of pretrial investigation—a prelude to court- martial proceedings—against Isafp agents responsible for the incident.
       Maj. Gen. Jose Angel Honrado, military spokesman, said that Gen. Generoso Senga, Armed Forces chief of staff, directed the Judge Advocate General’s Office to convene a pretrial investigation to determine the culpability of the Isafp agents who abducted and allegedly tortured Virgilio Eustaquio, Ruben Dionisio, Dennis Ibona, Jose Curameng and Jose Cabauatan, all members of the Union of Masses for Democracy and Justice (UMDJ).
       But the Armed Forces refused to identify the agents involved and say how many they are.
       Relatedly, initial findings by the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) confirmed complaints that the agents violated the rights of the so-called Erap 5.
       Testifying at a Senate hearing Tuesday, CHR chairman Purificacion Quisumbing said the agents could be held liable for trespassing, arbitrary arrest, illegal detention and involuntary disappearance, including torture.
       Under questioning by senators, Quisumbing voiced concern that the abduction of the UMDJ leaders and the recent spate of killings of activists and journalists tend to indicate a pattern and mentality of impunity among certain law-enforcement agencies.
       Quisumbing prodded the Senate to pass a law against torture, saying that while the Philippines signed international conventions outlawing torture, such a local law is still needed to be able to punish those who resort to it.
       Sen. Sergio Osmena III said he was refiling a bill he introduced in the previous Congress to outlaw and penalize torture. At Tuesday’s hearing of the defense committee chaired by Sen. Rodolfo Biazon, the Erap 5 appealed to the senators for security, in the wake of threats from unidentified groups apparently meant to discourage them from airing their charges at the Senate.
       Top military officials summoned to testify at the Senate inquiry failed to attend the hearing, claiming they were not given clearance by Malacañang as required by Executive Order 464 which the Supreme Court already struck down.
       AFP chief Gen. Generoso Senga, in a letter to Biazon, explained that the officials called to the hearing, including MGen. Rodrigo Maclang, deputy chief of staff for intelligence; Commo. Leonardo Calderon, Isafp chief; and Lt. Col. Henry Robinson Jr, Isafp Mig 15 group commander, were still awaiting presidential clearance to attend the hearing, invoking EO 464.
       This prompted strong reactions from the senators.
       “It [EO 464] was a unanimous decision by the Supreme Court,” Senator Osmeña recalled, noting it is unlikely that the ruling would be reversed by a motion for reconsideration filed by Palace lawyers. F. Marasigan, B. Fernandez