Newsgroups: bit.listserv.seasia-l
Date:         Tue, 14 Apr 1992 06:30:23 PDT
From:         "Indonesia Publications/Task Force" <apakabar@IGC.ORG>
Subject:      AI UA Philippines Case
X-To:         seasia-l@msu.edu

Abridged and forwarded from PeaceNet ai.uan conference:
Topic 99AI 116:Philip./Disap.,to05/19Response  1 of  1
aiurgent
ai.uan 7:03 pm  Apr 13, 1992

From: Amnesty International <aiurgent>
Subject: AI 116:Philip./Disap.,to05/19

email address: aiurgent@igc.org

=====

UA 116/92         Fear of "Disappearance"                      7 April 1992

PHILIPPINES       David Lagarde (aged 32), maintenance worker

Amnesty International is concerned for the safety of David Lagarde, a 32
year old maintenance worker with SM Shoemart-Iliolp. He was reportedly
arrested by members of the 6th Infantry Battalion (IB) of the Philippine
Army (PA) while on his way to meet his wife. Despite claims by military
authorities that he was released later the same day David Lagarde has not
been seen since his arrest.

According to an eyewitness, David Lagarde left his boarding house in
Iloilo City at about 8.15 am on 15 March 1992 in order to meet his wife at
barangay (local administrative unit) Lambayagan, Sibalom, Antique. Having
lost his way he ended up instead at barangay Tordesillas, Sibalom, Antique,
some 121 kilometres southwest of Iloilo City. At about 1.30 pm he was
arrested by members of the 6th IB PA on suspicion of being a member of the
New People's Army (NPA). He is reported to have been stripped and
interrogated before being taken to the Lupit detachment and has not been
seen since then.

Friends and relatives made inquiries about David Lagarde's whereabouts at
Tordesillas, where they were initially told, both by members of the 6th IB
and barangay officials, that he had been released at around 3.28 pm on 15
March 1992. They were later informed by the barangay captain that David
Lagarde had been released some three and a half hours later at 7pm. David
Lagarde's relatives have also sought the assistance of the Commission on
Human Rights.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Amnesty International recorded at least 25 cases of "disappearance" or
incommunicado detention in 1991. Of these, at least six were believed to
have been killed in custody. In 1990 more than 50 people were reported to
have "disappeared" in the Philippines. Of these, at least five are believed
to have died or to have been killed while in custody and some appeared to
have been tortured. During the last two years at least 18 whose detention
was denied by security forces subsequently reappeared after a period of
police or military custody. The fate and whereabouts of the majority were
still unknown in March 1992.

"Disappearance" and incommunicado detention in the Philippines have
occurred against a background of armed conflict between government and
government-backed forces and the NPA, the armed wing of the outlawed
Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). The majority of those held in
unacknowledged or incommunicado detention have been members of lawful non-
governmental organizations publicly labelled by the security forces as
fronts for the NPA or CPP, or individuals suspected of NPA or CPP
membership. In the overwhelming majority of the cases in which there is
clear and substantive evidence, the perpetrators have been members of
government or government backed forces.
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