MANILA, Philippines?A volunteer-doctor from the human rights group Karapatan Monday took the stand in the Court of Appeals to testify on Filipino-American activist Melissa Roxas? injuries that the physician said were caused by her abduction and torture.
The appellate court was hearing Roxas? petition for writ of amparo, a protection order for members of her family still in the country.
Dr. Geneve Rivera-Reyes presented pictures of Roxas? wrists and knees that showed abrasions.
Reyes testified on the medical report she and fellow Karapatan volunteer Dr. Reginaldo Pamugas came up with after examining Roxas on May 26, a day after she was supposedly released by her abductors.
In the medical report, Reyes and Pamugas reported that Roxas was complaining of pain in areas where she was hit. They added that she was limping and had limitation of movement in the lower jaw.
Roxas, who is now in the United States, has accused the military of abducting and torturing her in May.
The military said no Army soldier assigned to the 7th Infantry Division (ID) was involved in the abduction of Roxas.
Neither was she taken to and held at the division?s camp in Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija, military officials in Central Luzon said Monday.
These were the findings of an investigation of the abduction of Roxas and her two companions in La Paz, Tarlac, in May, according to Maj. Gen. Ralph Villanueva, commander of the 7th ID.
Soldiers could be involved
But another military official floated the possibility of government troops? involvement in the abduction of Roxas but said her allegations were more likely ?scripted.?
?There are two possibilities here and one is that indeed government troops may have something to do with it,? Brig. Gen. Gaudencio Pangilinan of the Civil Relations Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines said in a statement.
If military agents were involved in the torture and abduction of Roxas, Pangilinan vowed that he would personally make certain that they would be punished ?with the full might of the law.?
?If that is the case, we guarantee you that to this date, our intelligence and investigative outfit are searching for any lead to identify these human rights violators,? he said.
Dragged
?She said she was dragged from the house,? Reyes said of Roxas when asked by a lawyer from the Office of the Solicitor General how the alleged torture resulted in abrasions.
Reyes said handcuffs caused the abrasions on Roxas? wrists.
Aside from the abrasions, there were no other external signs of torture, according to Reyes. There were black and brown spots all over the legs and arms but Reyes said these were signs of insect bites.
Based on Roxas? narration in her affidavit, she was hit on the chest, sides and face. Her head was also banged on the wall several times.
Asphyxiation
Reyes also told the court that Roxas was subjected to asphyxiation through cellophane bags that were used to cover her head.
Roxas alleged in the affidavit that her abductors accused her of being a member of the Communist Party of the Philippines and the New People?s Army. She said she was only on volunteer work in Central Luzon when she was abducted.
Roxas named some of her abductors as Tex, RC and Rose.
Surprised
?We cannot say that our soldiers were involved because we had no operations in Tarlac at that time,? Villanueva said in a telephone interview.
In a separate interview, Brig. Gen. Gene Pirino, commander of the 701st IB, said: ?During that time, we were all committed to saving lives and properties of people in Pangasinan [due to a typhoon]. Almost all efforts of my two battalions, the 3rd Military Intelligence Bureau and 24th Infantry Battalion, were in western Pangasinan.?
?We forgot about Tarlac. That?s why we were surprised about the alleged incident,? Pirino said.
Morons
Pangilinan said another possibility was that Roxas? allegations were ?scripted? to make it appear that her abductors were members of the AFP.
?If you read through the revelations, the supposed abductors must be morons to allow those information to be heard by Ms Roxas,? he pointed out.
Pangilinan said that ?full-time faultfinders? were behind Roxas? accusations and were just out to malign the government.
Black propaganda
In Malacańang, Lorelei Fajardo, deputy presidential spokesperson, said Roxas should come up with evidence to prove her allegations.
?Many people are coming up with black propaganda just to get attention or create a scenario, which would not be productive,? she said. ?The government should not be giving attention to these.?
Press Secretary Cerge Remonde was also not immediately buying Roxas? account. ?We know that there are groups that do nothing but destroy the President,? he said. With reports from Christian V. Esguerra and Jocelyn R. Uy
