Accents
A cry for justice
A sense of urgency impels me to shelve aside other topics to call attention to the extra-judicial killing of Fernando Baldomero – a barefaced pattern of the gruesome human rights violations that have characterized the administration of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Karapatan’s cyber postman delivered the news into my Inbox faster than its publication in the local papers and in the national dailies: a brazen violation of human rights committed in less than a week’s time from the inauguration of President Noynoy Aquino – a splatter of blood thrown at the face of the new administration.
Karapatan is a nationwide alliance of organizations working to promote and protect human rights, and to defend the infringements thereof. Hereunder in toto is the statement of Panay Alliance-Karapatan on the Baldomero killing:
Press Statement of Panay Alliance-Karapatan on the Killing of Fernando Baldomero
July 6, 2010
Panay Alliance-Karapatan condemns in strongest terms the killing of Fernando Baldomero, at 61 years a loving father and husband, a trusted Sangguniang Bayan member of Lezo, Aklan and courageous activist holding the position of Provincial Coordinator of Bayan Muna for Aklan. He was an active member of SELDA-Panay, having suffered political imprisonment for many years in the past.
Fernando Baldomero, fondly called “Nanding,” was at his daily routine of bringing a 12-year-old son to school at around 6:30 yesterday morning when shot at close range by men on a motorcycle with no license plates along the highway outside his rented residence at Brgy. Estancia, Kalibo, Aklan.
Such a brutal treacherous act perpetrated on someone innocent and defenseless should only be condemned as cowardice of the worst kind. Such wanton cowardice has countless times been shown in the past years in the name of the government’s counter-insurgency plan called Oplan Bantay Laya II.
We join the family and friends in shouting “Justice for Fernando Baldomero!“ We call on government authorities to immediately identify and apprehend the perpetrators and their superiors so they can be meted with the proper punishment. Failure to do so would only be a bad omen for human rights in the years to come: that the new Aquino government will be, after all, no different from the despised Gloria Arroyo regime.
We call on President Noy to fulfill his promise to remedy the problem of political killings, involuntary or enforced disappearances and other human rights violations. He should immediately scrap Oplan Bantay Laya and bring human rights violators before the law. Once and for all, he should end the culture of impunity that is at the root of the killings, disappearances and human rights violations.
We pay the highest tribute to Nanding for his steadfast courage in carrying the cause favorable to the people, especially the poor, even though he was persecuted and suffered for it, even though he knew that his very life was at stake. He was a pure and true human rights advocate despite himself having been inflicted with numerous violations in the hands of state agents.
We salute his family for standing by and keeping behind Nanding in his causes. We are one with them at this time of loss and grief.
Karapatan has gathered the following initial data on the Baldomero murder:
Case: Extra-judicial killing
Victim: Fernando Baldomero, 61 (born January 31, 1949), married, resident of Brgy. Sta. Cruz Biga-a, Lezo, Aklan, reelected Sangguniang Bayan member of Lezo, provincial coordinator of Bayan Muna for Aklan and member of Samahan ng mga Ex-detainee Laban sa Detensyon at para sa Amnestiya (SELDA)
Place of Incident: Brgy. Estancia, Kalibo
Date of Incident: July 5, 2010
Perpetrators: Two unidentified persons, suspected to be military elements
Details:
At around 6:30 a.m. on July 5, 2010, Fernando Baldomero was outside his house at Brgy. Estancia, Kalibo, preparing to bring a 12-year old son to school when two persons on a black motorcycle suddenly stopped near him and shot him at close range.
Baldomero was about to don a helmet and take his kid to school on his motorcycle. The three bullets from the assailants’ firearms hit him on the back of the head and neck and on his back. He was immediately brought by family members to the Provincial Hospital in Kalibo but was declared dead-on-arrival.
It was reported that one of the assailants carried a long firearm while the other one had a pistol. After shooting Baldomero, they immediately left.
Baldomero was a political prisoner in the 1980s, being tagged by the military as a high-ranking commander of the New People’s Army. After release from detention he established life in his hometown in Lezo, Aklan, with temporary residence at Brgy. Estancia at Kalibo town. In August 2005 while a barangay official in Lezo, he was arrested and detained for offenses attributed to the New People’s Army in Guimbal, Iloilo and in San Remegio, Antique but was cleared of both charges and eventually released. In September 2006, he was charged of two offenses in Tubungan, Iloilo but the cases were dismissed by the Provincial Prosecutor.
On March 19, 2010, during the election campaign unidentified persons lobbed two grenades at the house of Baldomero in Lezo. One grenade exploded at the back of the house. Fortunately, Baldomero’s father, 92-year old Ramon Baldomero, was unhurt when the second grenade thrown at a window did not explode.
Baldomero’s son Ernan, a member of the media, said the killing could only be because of the political involvement of his father.
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We expect a speedy trial from the administration of President Noynoy Aquino – no more, no less. As the legal maxim goes, “Justice delayed is justice denied.”
Email: lagoc@hargray.com
