CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga, Philippines – Four land rights and environmental rights defenders have been arrested and charged by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) for alleged violations of two laws on carrying firearms and explosives, according to human rights watchdog Karapatan on Thursday.
The Provincial Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that it approved on Wednesday the filing of charges for illegal possession of firearms and explosives filed by the CIDG in Pampanga against Maria Theresa Buscayno, Desiree Jaranilla Patuñ-og, Andres Ely and Oliver Milo.
Buscayno and Milo listed addresses in Tarlac province while Patuñ-og and Ely in Nueva Ecija province.
Arrest ‘illegal’
In an advisory, Karapatan reported that the four activists were “illegally arrested” around 9:30 p.m. on July 29 when their vehicle reached Barangay San Pablo in Mexico, Pampanga.
But the CIDG said the arrest was made at 2:30 a.m. on July 30. It said CIDG personnel found an M16 rifle and live ammunition from Milo, a rifle grenade and hand grenade from Ely, an M16 rifle and hand grenade from Buscayno and an M14 rifle and hand grenade from Jaranilla.
“[The four] vehemently denied carrying any of the firearms or explosives, and they insisted these were all just planted,” Karapatan said.
Standing warrants
Except for Jaranilla, the three others had standing arrest warrants and were pursued under “Oplan Pagtugis” and “Oplan Paglalansag Omega,” according to Maj. Karlo Eden Mahinay, CIDG Pampanga chief.
Mahinay said Ely and Milo were wanted for murder while Buscayno was arrested for obstruction of justice.
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The charges for illegal possession of firearms and explosives arose during the recent arrest. Bail is not allowed for possession of explosives.Karapatan said the group claimed torture during detention. The women were held in the Central Luzon police regional headquarters in Camp Olivas while the men were jailed in the CIDG detention area in the Pampanga provincial police camp here.
But Mahinay denied the activists’ claim of torture, saying CIDG operatives had body-worn cameras.
“A public doctor certified them to be in good condition,” he told the Inquirer.
According to Karapatan, Patuñ-og had a visible wound on her forehead.
“All four bear contusions, bruises and pain from the assault,” it said.