Gibo on activists’ abduction claims: The AFP is not stupid

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Wednesday took the cudgels for the military after two environmental activists, who were earlier reported to have surrendered to authorities, said instead that they had been abducted.

Reported missing, Jhed Tamano, 22, and Jonila Castro, 21, were presented on Tuesday by the National Task Force to End the Local Armed Conflict supposedly to deny that they had been taken against their will.

They, however, said they were taken into custody by the military against their will, and denied that they had surrendered to the authorities.

Tamano and Castro said they were forced to turn themselves in because they were threatened.

“Hindi ito puedeng coerced. Kung ito talaga ay inabduct... ibig sabihin, masama ang motibo," Teodoro said in a chance interview during the budget deliberations in Congress. "Bakit pa ilalabas na surrenderee ito? Kung inabduct talaga ito, tatamnan na ng kasong masama ito,” he added.

(This could not have been coereced. If they had been abducted, there must have been a sinister motive. Why would they be presented as surrenderers? If they were abducted, they could have been slapped with fabricated charges.)

“Hindi ka naga-abduct, tapos ipasu-surrender mo sa harap ng maraming tao na magpapabaliktad ka lang. Hindi tanga ang Armed Forces,” Teodoro said.

(You don't abduct people and then tell them to say they surrendered in front of many, and then have the tables turned. The Armed Forces is not stupid.)

The video of the press conference has since been taken down from Facebook. 

“I am not just relying on the sole statement of the military. I am relying on the evidence that they executed their affidavit before a public attorney, there are other witnesses there who said they voluntarily surrendered,” Teodoro said.

Perjury raps

Teodoro, who is also a lawyer, then said that the DND has decided to pursue filing of perjury charges against the Tamano and Castro.

“Our decision is to pursue filing perjury charges, para iyong mga promotor ay huwag na ulitin ito,” Teodoro said.

(We will file perjury charges so that those behind this won't be able to pull this off again.)

Teodoro said that the two were even asked if they want to be assisted by a private counsel, but they refused such.

“Kung salita lang ng Armed Forces na walang katibayan, hahalungkatin natin iyong tunay na nangyari. Ito, ang daming testigo, may third parties. Matibay ang ebidensiya na nasa likod ng Armed Forces,” he added.

(If I just have the Armed Forces' word without other evidence, then we will leave no stone unturned to find out the truth. But there are any witnesses and third parties. The evidence is strong in favor of the Armed Forces.)

Counter-charges

Former lawmaker and Bayan Muna executive vice-president Carlos Isagani Zarate said the defense department should look into the allegations of the activists rather than threatening them with charges.

"How can there be perjury when consent is manifestly vitiated and the statements or admissions made were clearly obtained under duress? Indeed, when one's life is being threatened, any statement made cannot be considered as one that is voluntary, willful and deliberate," Zarate, one of the lawyers who assisted Tamano and Castro, said.

"Dapat ang mga kidnappers na mga state agents at mga principals nila ang maghanda dahil sa malinaw na paglabag sa karapatan ni Jonila at Jhed. Those involved can be charged of violating the Anti-Disappearance Law, Anti-Torture Law, violation of International Humanitatian Law, kidnapping and arbitrary detention," Zarate added.

(It is their kidnappers and their principals who should brace for charges because it is clear that the rights of Jonila and Jhed were violated.) —NB, GMA Integrated News