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Update on the James Balao Case
3 October 2008
Dear Friends:
This is to update you on our continuing efforts for the immediate
surfacing of James M. Balao. The response to our urgent alert, call
for support and missing bulletin is widespread. It is inspiring that
the support continues to pour in. Sadly, we have not gathered new
information on the whereabouts and state of James and thus, we need
to continue and even double our efforts to locate, appeal and call
for the immediate release of James from those who keep him in their
custody. Each day that passes with no positive developments, his life
in the hands of his captors, is an unimaginable torture to all of us.
Each day, the family and us wait and hope for new information yet at
the same time dread that it is of his death. Thus, your continuing
support becomes more urgent in saving the life of James.
While we continue with our efforts, we reiterate that the enforced
disappearance of James is not an isolated incident. It is an attack
on the CPA, on its leaders and members for their assertion of
indigenous peoples rights and active involvement on economic, social,
and political issues. It has taken a very critical position and/or
opposition on government policies of liberalization, privatization,
deregulation and militarization.
Let us never forget!: the killings of Ama Daniel Ngayaan, Romy Gardo,
Markus Bangit, Albert Terredano, Alyce Omengan-Claver and many more;
the continuing harassment and surveillance on our persons and
offices; and malicious tagging by the military that we are communist
terrorists, thus, enemies of the State.
These attacks including the disappearance of James point to a well-
planned, state-instigated campaign to harass, intimidate, terrorize,
and ultimately attempt to incapacitate organizations and offices who
have been involved in the broad democratic movement, particularly on
issues concerning violations of human rights and indigenous peoples'
rights. We are witnesses to a renewed and still unfolding campaign of
state terrorism.
Search
Immediately after we posted the missing bulletin, relatives of James
and volunteers mounted posters on James' disappearance at Fairview,
Avelino where he was last seen and in public posting areas. Two
teams scoured the streets near his apartment to ask his neighbors for
any information they might provide on James' disappearance.
The family and we immediately conducted inquiries with the camps of
the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National
Police (PNP). The Balao family, Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA),
Cordillera Human Rights Alliance (CHRA) and the Free Legal Assistance
Group (FLAG) visited the AFP Military Intelligence Group (MIG) at
Camp Allen, the AFP Intelligence Service Unit (ISU) at Navy Base,
Pacdal and PNP Regional Office of the Cordillera Administrative
Region (PRO-CAR) in Camp Dangwa. We made calls to PNP Officials in
Pangasinan and Cagayan to get their commitment in our search for James.
Just this September 30, two teams of volunteers from the CPA and CHRA
accompanied the Balao family, to Abra and Ilocos to inquire with AFP
and PNP camps. The teams visited and inquired with the following
units: (a) 50th Infantry Battalion Philippine Army (IBPA) at Guimod
Norte, San Juan, Ilocos Sur (IS); (b) IS PNP Provincial Office at
Bulag, Bantay, IS and the AFP offices within the compound; (c) PNP
Ilocos Sur Regional Mobile Group (RMG) in Bio, Tagudin, IS, (d) 503rd
Brigade PA (BDE) in Sulvec, Narvacan, IS; (e) 503rd Brigade PA
headquarters in Lagangilang, Abra and the (f) PNP Regional Police
Office at San Fernando, La Union. All of the units visited denied
that they have James in their custody.
Two days after, the Balao family and their clan together with the CPA
and the CHRA, went back to Ilocos Sur upon receiving information from
reliable sources within the military and the police that the
disappearance of James was undertaken by the Military Intelligence
Group (MIG) and Intelligence Service Unit (ISU) of Region 1. (Region
1 as an administrative region covers the provinces of La Union,
Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte and Pangasinan.) The provincial government
of Ilocos Sur through Gov. Deogracias Victor "DV" Savellano initiated
a dialogue between the family and the military. A certain Lt.
Wilfredo Tambio and Sgt. Marcelo Garcia acting under orders of Col.
Roy Devesa of the 503rd BDE, met with the family. The said military
officers did not give an outright denial that they have James in
their custody or participated in his disappearance. Provincial Board
member, Atty. Robert Tudayan also assisted the family during this
second visit.
Public Information, and Protests
Aside from the inquiries with camps, we also held information
dissemination activities, three (3) press conferences, so far
(September 23, 29 and 30). The urgent action, letter of concern, and
CHRA and CPA press statements were distributed online. A petition
calling on the government to surface James is being circulated in
schools, communities etc., which is also posted online and has so far
gathered close to a thousand signatures.
Activities denouncing the enforced disappearance have been held
regularly (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) at the Malcolm Square/
People's Park since September 24. James' family, relatives, friends,
different people's organizations and institutions have been
consistently present during the activities. The number of people who
show their solidarity in these activities consistently grows.
Very recently, the ALL UP Academic Union Baguio Chapter and the
Interfaith Gathering for Truth and Accountability have issued their
statements of concern on the enforced disappearance.
Local Government Support
Baguio City Mayor Peter Rey Bautista with newly-installed Baguio City
Police Office Director (BCPO) Wilfredo Franco have stated to the
media that they will convene the Task Force Balao (TF) to look into
this case. The said TF has yet to coordinate with the family.
The Baguio City Council in its session on September 29 collectively
and unanimously approved the following resolution forwarded by
councilors Perlita Chan-Rondez, Nicasio Palaganas, Fred Bagbagen,
Galo Weygan, Richard Carino, and Nicasio Palaganas, and Vice-Mayor
Daniel Farinas: RESOLUTION CONDEMNING THE ENFORCED DISAPPEARANCE OF
JAMES M. BALAO, MEMBER OF THE CORDILLERA PEOPLES ALLIANCE (CPA) AND
ASSISTING HIS FAMILY, THE CORDILLERA PEOPLES ALLIANCE (CPA) AND THE
CORDILLERA HUMAN RIGHTS ALLIANCE (CHRA) IN THE IMMEDIATE SURFACING
AND RELEASE OF JAMES M. BALAO BY HIS CAPTORS. We are hoping for
similar actions from other local government units.
National Lobby and Support
The family and the CPA have written the concerned desks or committees
of the following government agencies: the Commission on Human Rights
(CHR), the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), the
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Philippine National Police
(PNP), the GRP-NDFP Joint Monitoring Committee-CARHRIHL.
In an audience with our national alliance KARAPATAN (Alliance for
Peoples Rights) on September 22, CHR Commissioner de Lima committed
to look into the case of James and put his case as a priority for the
Commission.
Through the CHRA, the family and the CPA met with Bayan Muna
Representative Teodoro Casino last September 25. The partylist
representative committed to bring up the case at the Committee on
Human Rights in Congress aside from assisting the family in the
search for James.
Recently, the family together with the CPA appealed to the members of
the Senate and members of the House of Representatives from the
Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) for assistance. They also met
with some police and military officials.
The office of Senator Francisco 'Kiko' Pangilinan issued a press
release entitled: "Kiko backs amnesty international's call for safe
return of missing indigenous rights activist; calls on military to be
transparent." This is available in the website of the Philippine
Senate. On our end, we circulated this to the media.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) was likewise
informed about the case and they committed to inquire with the
Northern Luzon Command (NOLCOM) of the AFP and with the 5th ID in
Gamu, Isabela.
International Support
The Amnesty International has issued its own urgent alert on
September 26, the New Zealand Human Rights Commission through its
Senior Advisor Dr. Jill Chrisp communicated that she shall raise the
concern with the Commission on Human Rights-Philippines with whom
they have a joint project with. The International Work Group on
Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA) based in Denmark has submitted their
Letter of Concern to the concerned government offices in the
Philippines.
The United Nations Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary
Disappearances (WGEID) received and immediately transmitted the
complaint filed by the family last September 26 to the Philippine
government.
On September 30, Forum Asia submitted a Fact Sheet on the
disappearance of James Balao to the Office of the High Commissioner
on Human Rights (OHCHR) Regional Office in Bangkok.
The US Embassy in the Philippines is including the case of James
Balao in their Human Rights Report for the year 2008.
We also received immediate response from different organizations
through the International League of People's Struggles (ILPS) to
which the CPA is affiliated. A lot of organizations, groups, and
individuals from different countries in Europe, Asia, and America
including the Philippines and members of the CPA Friends Abroad have
also responded by signing in the Petition, sending Letters of Concern
to Philippine government agencies and circulating the urgent alert.
However, despite the foregoing extensive effort, we have done with
the family and the international support continuously pouring in, the
captors of James have not yet surfaced him. Each day that passes with
no positive developments, his life in the hands of his captors, your
continuing support becomes more urgent in saving the life of James.
We continue to hope that due to our efforts, the captors of James
shall surface him and those responsible for his enforced
disappearance made duly accountable. In behalf of the Balao family,
we are very grateful for your continued support that has made us
defiant against state fascism during these trying times.
Respectfully,
BEVERLY L. LONGID, Chairperson
JUDE BAGGO, Secretary General
Cordillera Peoples Alliance Cordillera Human Rights Alliance
#2 P. Guevarra St, Baguio City
#10 Rimando Road Baguio City
E-mail: ,
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