APCHRP Welcomes Acquittal of Himamaylan 7, Denounces State Fabrications
The Asia Pacific Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (APCHRP) warmly welcomes the acquittal of the Himamaylan 7, which includes Pastor. Jimie Teves Sr. and six farmers—Jodito Montesino, Jaypee Romano, Jasper Aguyong, Rogen Sabanal, Rodrigo Sabanal, Rodrigo Medez, and Elesio Andress. Before the arrest, they were maliciously red-tagged by the state forces. They were falsely accused of murder, frustrated murder, and being members of the “New People’s Army,” allegedly involved in an encounter on May 12, 2018, in Tan-awan, along the boundaries of Kabankalan and Himamaylan cities, where two members of the 62nd Infantry Battalion were killed.
The case was dismissed due to glaring inconsistencies in the army’s reports. Initially, their report stated that the individuals involved in the encounter were “unidentified,” but four months later, they named specific individuals allegedly involved. Furthermore, while wounded personnel from the encounter claimed they had identified their assailants, the official report still described the perpetrators as unidentified. This clearly demonstrates how state agents fabricated accusations to baselessly implicate individuals and vilify Pastor Teves, a church leader, defender of farmers, and advocate for Indigenous people’s rights.
This is not a new tactic by the state to silence critics and those who fight for justice through false accusations. Numerous church leaders have faced similar charges, including UCCP Pastor Nathaniel “Pastor Dodo” Vallente, Marielle Dumequil of the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines (RMP), who is part of the Tacloban 5; Aldeem Yañez of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI); and Sr. Patricia Fox, who was deported under the Duterte regime for her advocacy work. These church leaders have been steadfast champions of peace and staunch defenders of human rights in the Philippines.
The coalition strongly condemns all baseless accusations against peace and human rights advocates who defend marginalized communities. It also denounces the former Duterte regime for its counterinsurgency policies, such as Memorandum Order No. 32 and Executive Order No. 70, which terrorized rural communities. Duterte himself must be held accountable for the bloody counterinsurgency campaigns that led to bombings in the countryside, illegal arrests of activists, and extrajudicial killings.
In observance of this November’s Philippine Solidarity Month, the coalition calls on international communities, individuals, and human rights organizations to demand justice for the illegal arrest of the Himamaylan 7. We also urge continued advocacy for the release of all political prisoners in the Philippines.
#FreeAllPoliticalPrisoner
#StopTheAttacksOnChurchPeople
