Army major tagged in Jonas case relieved from PMA post

MANILA, Philippines - An Army officer accused of kidnapping activist Jonas Burgos was relieved from his duties to allow him to answer the allegations against him.  

Brig. Gen. Jose Mabanta Jr., Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman, said Maj. Harry Baliaga Jr. has been relieved as a staff of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) and will be moved to the Army headquarters in Fort Bonifacio. 

“There are instructions from the chief of staff for Harry Baliaga to be assigned back to the headquarters of the Philippine Army so that he will be made available in connection with the recommendation of the CHR (Commission on Human Rights),” he said.  

Mabanta was referring to a CHR report which said that the AFP should be accountable for Burgos’ disappearance. 

Baliaga, a member of the Army’s Special Forces, is a detach service staff of the PMA Ground Welfare department.

Mabanta said Baliaga will not be asked to perform any task while in the Army headquarters.  

“He is relieved of all his duties so that he will be able to concentrate on the cases apparently that may be filed against him in connection with the CHR recommendation,” he said.  

Mabanta said Baliaga will not be restricted to the Army headquarters despite the investigation.

“We are taking this very seriously. In fact, the main man, which is Baliaga, is being relieved of all his duties for him to be able to concentrate in connection with this (issue),” he said.

AFP chief Lt. Gen. Eduardo Oban said they are ready to present Baliaga to authorities or investigating bodies when necessary.

Burgos, son of the late press freedom fighter Joe Burgos, was reportedly seized on April 28, 2007 by armed men who dragged him to a Toyota Revo whose license plate was traced to another vehicle earlier impounded by the military in Bulacan.

In a report it submitted to the Supreme Court (SC) last March 15, the CHR identified Baliaga, then an Army lieutenant, as among the armed men who seized Burgos inside the Ever Gotesco Mall on Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City.

The CHR asked the SC to order the filing of cases of kidnapping/enforced disappearance and/or arbitrary detention against Baliaga.

The CHR report, signed by Commissioner Jose Manuel Mamauag, was based on the statements of two eyewitnesses said to be at the restaurant where Burgos was seized.

The CHR recommended the two witnesses to be placed under the government’s Witness Protection Program.

“Based on the facts developed by evidence obtained in this case, the CHR finds that the enforced disappearance of Jonas Joseph Burgos had transpired, and that his constitutional rights to life, liberty and security were violated by the government,” the CHR report stated.

The AFP has vowed to cooperate with agencies that would revisit Burgos’ case but said it is still clueless on the activist’s whereabouts.