The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA), its member organization in the Philippines, express their deep concern about the assassination of the witness of an extrajudicial killing, who had submitted her testimony to the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial killings on the occasion of his visit to the Philippines, last month.
Ms. Siche B. Gandinao was shot dead by a lone gunman riding a motorcycle on March 10, 2007 in Salay, Misamis Oriental, Philippines. She subsequently died of her injuries. Last February, Ms. Gandinao’s written testimony had been submitted by Karapatan north/northeast Mindanao region team to Philip Alston, the UN Special Rapporteur on extra-judicial, summary or arbitrary executions; she had indeed been a witness in the killing of her late father-in-law, Dalmacio Gandinao.
The victim was a member of Bayan Muna, an opposition political party, and of a peasant association (Misamis Oriental Farmers Association - MOFA). Her father-in-law, Dalmacio Gandinao, was the coordinator of Bayan Muna for Misamis Oriental and Chairman of MOFA. He was shot dead in front of his family on February 8, 2007 by a group of seven gunmen who entered his house.
Phillip Alston visited the Philippines last month. In the press statement he made public at the end of his visit, he had in particular raised the precarious situation of witnesses of extrajudicial killings: « witnesses are systematically intimidated and harassed », a vulnerability that is strengthened by the fact that «the forces accused of killings are all too often those, or are linked to those, who are charged with ensuring their security».
"This new killing unfortunately witnesses the total incapacity, or the lack of political will of the Filipino authorities to put an end to the widespread violations of the right to life in the country. The authorities should have paid particular attention to the protection of the witnesses who submitted testimonies to the UN Special Rapporteur because the killing of such witnesses jeopardises the independent UN mechanisms themselves", deplored Sidiki Kaba, President of FIDH.
FIDH and PAHRA consequently urge the Filipino authorities to thoroughly and independently investigate the extrajudicial killing of Siche B. Gandinao, and to bring to justice the authors of this crime. "The government should, as a matter of urgency, take meaningful and effective measures to protect witnesses of extra-judicial killings and to implement the preliminary recommendations issued by the UN Special Rapporteur", said Max de Mesa, Chairperson of PAHRA. "The international community is watching closely and is expecting positive signs. This last killing goes once more in the bad direction", he concluded.
Background - In 2005 and 2006, politically motivated extra-judicial killings have reached unprecedented levels in the Philippines and very few have been prosecuted and condemned for such acts. These extra-judicial killings, in their immense majority are thought to be perpetrated most often by members of the military, by the police, or by groups linked to them. The main victims of the killings are members and leaders of legal organisations (peasant and fishermen organisations, teachers’ associations, women’s groups, workers unions, etc), perceived by the authorities as close to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA).
For more information see http://www.fidh.org/article.php3?id_article=4006