CPP reiterates demand for AFP to surface CPP-NPA-NDFP leader Prudencio Calubid et al, 4 years after their abduction
PRESS RELEASE
Information Bureau, CPP
June 26, 2010
The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) today reiterated the demand for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to surface Prudencio Calubid, his wife and other companions who were abducted by armed military agents exactly four years ago. A member of the CPP Central Committee, leading officer of the New People's Army (NPA) and consultant of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) in the peace negotiations , Calubid and his companions were abducted on June 26, 2006 along Quirino highway, near Sipocot, Camarines Sur.
Calubid was with his wife Celina Palma, niece Gloria Soco, staff Ariel Belo and Antonio Lacno aboard a vehicle on their way to Bicol. At around 8 p.m., their vehicle was waylaid by a convoy of five vehicles. They were taken at gunpoint and brought to an unidentified military safehouse. For two days, Calubid and his companions underwent severe torture in the hands of their fascist military captors.
On the third day, they were brought to a secluded mountainous area ostensibly to be finished off by the fascists. In a last minute attempt to free themselves, Calubid and Lacno tried to fight off their captors. Lacno was able to escape and wandered for days along the Southern Tagalog-Bicol border forest before being able to get in touch with relatives and comrades in Manila. The fate of Calubid and other companions remain unknown to this day.
It was through Lacno's testimonies and signed affidavit that the revolutionary movement and the public learned about the brutalities that he and his abducted companions suffered and the likely extrajudicial killing of those who were not able to escape.
"The abduction, torture and forced disappearance of Calubid, Palma, Soco and Belo are among the most heinous crimes committed by the fascist agents of the US-Arroyo regime in more than nine years of its rotten and brutal rule. It was a direct affront on human rights, and an outright violation of the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG) and the Comprehensive Agreement on Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) that were jointly signed in peace negotiations between the NDFP and the government of the Republic of the Philippines," said the CPP.
"Calubid's abduction was a direct assault against the peace negotiations," said the CPP, pointing out that under the JASIG, both the NDFP and the GRP vowed to ensure the security and immunity of personnel of both sides engaged peace negotiations. The CPP said peace negotiations with the US-Arroyo regime became more untenable after the abduction and enforced disappearance of NDFP consultants Leo Velasco and Rogelio Calubad, staff Philip Limjoco in 2006 and other NDFP consultants and staff members.
"The fourth anniversary of the abduction of Comrade Calubid and company is being observed by the CPP, the NDFP and the entire revolutionary movement a few days before the inauguration of the new president. The Philippine revolutionary forces now place on the incoming Aquino regime the responsibility of accounting for, and redressing, the fascist crimes against Calubid and his other missing companions and all other victims of forced disappearances and other gross violations of human rights in the past, and making those responsible pay for their crimes," added the CPP.
The CPP released today a special issue of Ang Bayan giving revolutionary tribute to Prudencio Calubid (known by his nom de guerres Ka Elliot, Ka Baki, Ka Papong, Ka Alex, Ka Rito and Ka Dindo) and his other abducted companions.
Calubid was with his wife Celina Palma, niece Gloria Soco, staff Ariel Belo and Antonio Lacno aboard a vehicle on their way to Bicol. At around 8 p.m., their vehicle was waylaid by a convoy of five vehicles. They were taken at gunpoint and brought to an unidentified military safehouse. For two days, Calubid and his companions underwent severe torture in the hands of their fascist military captors.
On the third day, they were brought to a secluded mountainous area ostensibly to be finished off by the fascists. In a last minute attempt to free themselves, Calubid and Lacno tried to fight off their captors. Lacno was able to escape and wandered for days along the Southern Tagalog-Bicol border forest before being able to get in touch with relatives and comrades in Manila. The fate of Calubid and other companions remain unknown to this day.
It was through Lacno's testimonies and signed affidavit that the revolutionary movement and the public learned about the brutalities that he and his abducted companions suffered and the likely extrajudicial killing of those who were not able to escape.
"The abduction, torture and forced disappearance of Calubid, Palma, Soco and Belo are among the most heinous crimes committed by the fascist agents of the US-Arroyo regime in more than nine years of its rotten and brutal rule. It was a direct affront on human rights, and an outright violation of the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG) and the Comprehensive Agreement on Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) that were jointly signed in peace negotiations between the NDFP and the government of the Republic of the Philippines," said the CPP.
"Calubid's abduction was a direct assault against the peace negotiations," said the CPP, pointing out that under the JASIG, both the NDFP and the GRP vowed to ensure the security and immunity of personnel of both sides engaged peace negotiations. The CPP said peace negotiations with the US-Arroyo regime became more untenable after the abduction and enforced disappearance of NDFP consultants Leo Velasco and Rogelio Calubad, staff Philip Limjoco in 2006 and other NDFP consultants and staff members.
"The fourth anniversary of the abduction of Comrade Calubid and company is being observed by the CPP, the NDFP and the entire revolutionary movement a few days before the inauguration of the new president. The Philippine revolutionary forces now place on the incoming Aquino regime the responsibility of accounting for, and redressing, the fascist crimes against Calubid and his other missing companions and all other victims of forced disappearances and other gross violations of human rights in the past, and making those responsible pay for their crimes," added the CPP.
The CPP released today a special issue of Ang Bayan giving revolutionary tribute to Prudencio Calubid (known by his nom de guerres Ka Elliot, Ka Baki, Ka Papong, Ka Alex, Ka Rito and Ka Dindo) and his other abducted companions.
