Office of Congresswoman Etta Rosales
PRESS STATEMENT
May 28, 2003
On different levels and on multiple grounds, the death of Ka Boy Ocmen is undeserved and unjustified.
First and foremost, ‘Nong Boy is a farmer and a local leader. He was baranggay chairman of Brngy. Cuyago and a Section Chairman for Akbayan in the area. Being involved in reform work for Akbayan he was for sure a non-combatant uninvolved in the conflict between the government and the NPA.
Secondly, Ka Boy was taken against his will, violating his very right as a person to be free from fear, prosecution, and harassment. Even after pleading with the NPAs, he was singled out and held in captivity against his will.
Third and worst, is the report that ‘Nong Boy’s body bore the unmistakable marks of torture - fingernails pulled out, burn marks and punch marks all over his body.
‘Nong Boy, in between tending to his rice fields and looking after his family is actively involved in progressive reform work for Akbayan and his community. Those responsible for the murder of ‘Nong Boy must be made answerable for their actions.
As Chairperson of the House Committee on Civil, Political and Human Rights it saddens and disgusts me at the same time that an innocent life would be so mercilessly cut down for reasons we are yet to understand. The Geneva Conventions expressly prohibits doing harm to non-combatants, and for this the NPA has a lot of explaining to do.
In killing one of our leaders, the NPA has committed gross violations of the CPP-NPA-NDF’s Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIL) which it inked with the government. Article 4 Sections 4 and 5 expressly states that “Civilians shall be treated as such and shall be distinguished from combatants and shall not be the subject of attacks,” and that “Civilians shall have the right to demand appropriate disciplinary actions against abuses,” by either the government or the CPP-NPA.
Article 6 of the CARHRIL states that “persons liable for violations of the principles of international humanitarian law shall be subject to investigation, prosecution and trial.”
From his abduction to his possible torture to his killing, ‘Nong Boy was the victim of an unprovoked, unreasonable cold-blooded murder. There is now the challenge for the NPA to prove that it respects the terms and obligations to which it is subjected to under the rule of international humanitarian law and the principles of human rights.