Oban orders review of probe on disappearance of 3 activists

MANILA, Philippines - Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Eduardo Oban Jr. has ordered the military’s Human Rights Office to revisit the investigation on the alleged abduction of three activists in 2006.

Oban said the Human Rights Office would work with the military’s investigative units to determine how they could comply with a Supreme Court ruling that ordered them to free the missing activists.

“I called on the Human Rights Office to revisit the investigation pertinent to the missing activists. I asked them to coordinate with the (AFP) Provost Marshal and the Judge Advocate General,” he said on the sidelines of the Air Power Summit in Pasay City yesterday.

Oban, however, cannot tell if it is possible that soldiers are involved in the abduction of the activists, saying this should be determined by the court.

Oban gave assurance that the military would fully cooperate with the agencies that would probe the disappearance of University of the Philippines students Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeño and farmer Manuel Merino.

“In consideration of the court ruling, we shall extend the usual cooperation to legal authorities,” the AFP chief said.

Oban admitted that the allegation of abduction has an impact on AFP’s image but stressed that they do not condone any form of human rights abuses.

“It (abduction of three activists) happened five years ago. There are efforts to promote adherence to the international humanitarian law (within the AFP),” he said.

The Supreme Court has ordered the military to immediately release from detention Cadapan, Empeño and Merino, who were said to have been kidnapped in Hagonoy, Bulacan in 2006.

The high court said it appears that six military men namely then 7th Infantry Division chief Jovito Palparan Jr., Lt. Col. Felipe Anotado, Lt. Col. Rogelio Boac, Lt. Francis Mirabelle Samson, Arnel Enriquez, and Donald Caigas, are accountable for their disappearance.

Military officials have denied that the three activists are under their custody. The Army even admitted that it does not know how to comply with the court order. 

“Who are we going to release? They (missing activists) are not in the custody of the Philippine Army,” said Army spokesman Col. Antonio Parlade in an earlier interview.

The Supreme Court also ordered the justice department, the military and the police to investigate and determine the criminal and administrative liabilities of the respondents.

The high court, however, excluded former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in the case since she was immune from lawsuit when the incident happened.

It also dismissed the charges against former AFP chief Hermogenes Esperon, former police chief Avelino Razon and retired Army commanding-general Romeo Tolentino due to lack of merit.