Activist Groups Laud PNP for Suing Military Suspects in Activist Slay

Naga City (May 30 2011) – Cause-oriented groups laud the Philippine National Police (PNP) for filing charges against a group of soldiers suspected of killing Elmer Estrellado, an activist and member of Bayan Muna.

After winding up its probe, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of the PNP has recommended the filing of murder charges against Major Danilo Ambe and eight other soldiers of the 42nd Infantry Battalion before the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office of Camarines Sur.

Human Rights activist Vince Casilihan said the Estrellado case “is just the tip of the iceberg.” “Other extra-judicial killings in Bicol remain unsolved to this very day,” he stressed.

Casilihan identified other activists who were summarily killed in previous years as Isaias Santa Rosa, Joel Baclao, Cris Hugo, Rambo Guran, and Ompong Alvarado. All were killed under mysterious circumstances during the Arroyo administration.

According to a report by the cause-oriented groups, Bayan-Muna  and Karapatan-Bikol, Estrellado was allegedly abducted by military agents in Malilipot, Albay on the morning of Feb. 25 this year.

According to witnesses, 4 men posing as PDEA agents forced the victim into a gray vehicle with plate no. MXN-902.

Later in the same day, Estrellado’s dead body was found -  his death claimed by the military to be a result of an alleged encounter between NPA rebels and army troopers of the 42nd Infantry Battalion in barangay Buluang, Bato, Camarines Sur. (SONNY SALES).