Farmer files raps vs ex-AFP officials

A farmer has filed charges against former Armed Forces officials before the Office of the Ombudsman for allegedly detaining him and his brother in a number of military camps for 18 months.

Raymund Manalo, 26, who was granted protection under a writ of amparo after reportedly escaping from his alleged military abductors, accused former AFP chief retired Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, retired Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan Jr. and other former military officials of kidnapping and torturing him and his brother Reynaldo from February 2006 to August last year.

In a two-page complaint, Manalo said the former military officials violated Articles 267 (kidnapping with torture) and 124 of the Revised Penal Code (arbitrary detention) and Section 4 of Republic Act 7438 (violation of the rights of a person arrested or detained).

Also named respondents were retired Maj. Gen. Juanito Gomez of the Association of Generals and Flag Officers, M/Sgts. Rizal Hilario and Donald Caigas of the 24th Infantry Battalion in Balanga, Bataan, and 14 civilians.

Manalo alleged that he was unlawfully arrested in Barangay Bohol na Manga in Bulacan and detained from Feb. 14, 2006 to Aug. 13, 2007 in a number of military camps – first at Camp Tecson in San Miguel, Bulacan, and later at Fort Magsaysay in Laur, Nueva Ecija, and other military camps – and a barangay hall.

Manalo said soldiers and members of the Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) allegedly abducted him and his brother Reynaldo on Feb. 14, 2006. 

The Manalos alleged that they were tortured while under military custody. They were able to escape in August 2007 and later filed a petition for a writ of amparo, which the Court of Appeals (CA) eventually granted.

The two brothers said the military detained them even though no charges were filed against them.

“The subsequent detention of the undersigned was unlawful and arbitrary from the beginning,” Raymund said in his complaint.

Manalo also accused the former military officials of “gross misconduct, grave abuse of authority, gross oppression and acts unbecoming of a public officer.”

Early this year, Raymond testified before the CA’s former 11th Division, alleging that the military had custody of many other missing persons. 

Raymond alleged that he witnessed the cruel treatment of University of the Philippines students Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeño in a military camp. The two women and their companion, Manuel Merino, are still missing up to this day.

Lawyer Rex Fernandez and the human rights group Karapatan assisted Raymund in filing the complaint against the former military officials.

Karapatan secretary general Marie Hilao-Enriquez said the Manalo brothers and all other victims of human rights vio­lations deserve support.