Bu-lat-lat (boo-lat-lat) verb: to search, probe, investigate, inquire; to unearth facts Volume IV, Number 9 March 28 - April 3, 2004 Quezon City, Philippines |
Notorious
‘Death Squad’ Asset Nabbed in Mindoro
He
has been the subject of investigation by human rights groups, the justice
department and even by Congress. His case has also been elevated to the United
Nations Human Rights Committee. Last week, the notorious alleged military asset,
Aniano “Silver” Flores, was placed under police custody and faces murder and
other charges. By
dabet castañeda
But
Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo, in a brief interview with Bulatlat.com,
said that Calzado told him Flores had been in police custody since March 18. Calzado
told Bulatlat.com that Flores is now detained at the Roxas City municipal
jail. He also said Flores faces charges of murder, illegal logging, harassment
and grave threats but did not elaborate.
The
police director said there are private complainants and witnesses in the cases
set to be filed against Flores. But he withheld their identities for security
reasons. Calzado
also said Flores was arrested on the basis of a warrant of arrest that they
received in February. “We have the duty to implement the warrant,” he said.
He
said however that the arrested “military asset” will not be presented to the
press, as was reported earlier. “Mad
killer”
Flores
has been implicated by human rights groups such as Karapatan and cause-oriented
organizations based in Southern Tagalog to a string of human rights cases in
Oriental Mindoro.
In
the recent book,“Terror in Mindoro, The Murders of Eden Marcellana and
Eddie Gumanoy,” Flores was described as a “notorious rebel returnee”
who is wanted for the murder of Bayan Muna-Oriental Mindoro provincial
coordinator Edilberto “Choy” Napoles and as one of the perpetrators of the
kidnapping-murder of Eden Marcellana and Eddie Gumanoy in Naujan, Oriental
Mindoro on April 21 last year. Both were found dead the following day in Bansud,
in the same province. (The book is published by the Campaign Committee: Justice
for Ka Eden and Ka Eddie.) Flores
was positively identified by at least two of the nine witnesses-survivors as one
of the heavily armed men wearing ski masks who abducted the two activists. Marcellana
was the secretary general of Karapatan-Southern Tagalog while Gumanoy was the
president of the peasant group, Kasama-Timog Katagalugan. In
addition, Flores was also identified by Ruel Landicho, member of the fisherfolk
group Pamalakaya-Oriental Mindoro, as the one who shot and killed Napoles on May
26, 2002 a few meters away from the Bayan Muna office in Calapan City, the
provincial capital.
Landicho was with Napoles at the time of the incident.
Flores
was also implicated in the murders of the Albarillo couple in April 8, 2002 in
Brgy. Calsapa, San Teodoro town.
Expedito and Manuela Albarillo were killed in front of their daughter,
Adeliza. They
too were both members of Bayan Muna. Flores
was one of the “rebel returnees” presented by Col. Jovito Palparan, then
commander of the 204th IBPA in Mindoro, to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
during her visit to the province in 2001.
The
regional chapter of the human rights alliance Karapatan said that Flores is a
member of a “Death Squad” which, it said, is linked to the 204th
IBPA which has its headquarters at Naujan. Should
be held responsible
In
the interview with Bulatlat.com Ocampo said that the arrest of Flores was
“good news” but should work positively for the victims of human rights
violations in the province.
He said Flores should be held responsible for the cases where he was
implicated. In
a separate interview, UN Ad Litem Judge Romeo Capulong said the Public Interest
Law Center (PILC), which he chairs, will fast track the prosecution of Flores at
the Department of Justice (DoJ).
Two cases have been filed against Flores at the DoJ: that of Napoles and
the double murder of Marcellana and Gumanoy. The
double murder case of Marcellana and Gumanoy has been submitted for resolution
but the DoJ has not filed a single case against Flores in a lower court,
Capulong said. “Flores should be presented to the DoJ so that the witnesses can identify him,” he said. Bulatlat.com We want to know what you think of this article.
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