The Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA) strongly condemns the brutal torture and extrajudicial killing of Rebelyn Pitao, a 21-year old teacher at St. Peter School in Toril, Davao City. According to the report (Alfred Dalizon, People’s Tonight, Saturday, March 7, 2009), Ms. Pitao’s body was found Thursday, a day after she was abducted by unidentified armed persons last Wednesday, March 4, at 6 pm in Kanto Bago Galera in Talomo near the Apo Golf Course.

Stabbed while her hands were tied behind her back, mouth tapped and almost completely stripped of her clothes, Rebelyn’s body revealed the brutality and rabid inhumanity of her killers. The killing was allegedly politically motivated. Even before the police could satisfactorily conduct an investigation, AFP Eastern Mindanao Command spokesperson Major Randolph Cabangbang insinuates as much by pointing out that Rebelyn was the daughter of Leoncio Pitao (alias Kumander Parago), a suspected leader of the New People’s Army in Southern Mindanao. And, that therefore the daughter or anyone related to Leoncio for that matter could be a target of revenge by alleged victims of Parago, supposedly including, according to Mr. Dalizon, retired Army General Victor Obillo and Alex Montealto. In this way, Major Cabangbang has given an initial direction to the police investigation in an attempt for concerned agencies with investigative powers to follow with due diligence.

Major Cabangbang’s alleged quote that “the military does not conform to this [torture and extra-judicial killing] method” seems to be a sweeping attempt to exclude the AFP and their subalterns from suspicion even as investigators have obtained leads from witnesses’ accounts, including the plate number of the vehicle used to abduct the young Pitao. The good Major should be reminded that in many instances military personnel had been found guilty of such acts, like Gen. Jovito Palparan, Jr. who was found responsible by the Court of Appeals for the abduction and torture of the Manalo brothers. Recall too that the vehicle bearing the plate number identified in the abduction and enforced disappearance of Jonas Burgos was found in a military camp.

Every grave human rights violation is a threat and affront to our common human dignity. Asserting our common humanity should be a personal and collective imperative.

Condemn impunity!
End torture, enforced disappearance and extra-judicial killings!
Bring the perpetrators to justice!