Wife of alleged EJK victim in Negros Occ. lodges complaint at CHR

The wife of an alleged extrajudicial killing victim on Thursday formally filed a complaint at the Commission on Human Rights against some members of the Philippine Army.

Lorena Tecson and Maria Lou Alangilan of Kahugpongan Alang sa Ugma sa Gamay nga Mag-uuma (KAUGMAON), a local peasant organization in Negros Occidental, lodged separate complaints on the supposed “series of harassment against them.”

Wife of alleged EJK victim files complaint at the Commission on Human Rights @gmanews pic.twitter.com/N2pT7xtwjM

— Marlly (@marllybondoc) December 7, 2017

Lorena’s husband, Alberto Tecson, 45, was the chairperson of Pamalakaya-Guihulngan and leader of the Nagkahiusang Mag-uuma ng Mangingisda sa Bulado (NaMaBu).

He was gunned down in his home at Barangay Bulado in Guihulngan, Negros Occidental on July 24.

Armed elements reportedly from the Army's 79th Infantry Brigade were said to be looking for Alberto at this residence prior to the killing. Lorena said that his husband was accused of transporting members of the New People's Army, which she also denied that they were part of.

Lorena and Alangilan were accompanied by Karapatan's legal counsel Maria Sol Taule, who said that the two have initially filed a complaint with the CHR Region 7 in Cebu City.

Taule said although the complaint was docketed on November 27, no action has been done, prompting them to bring it to the CHR's national office in Quezon City for urgent action.

Lorena said that she was "subjected to harassment" when she received a letter from the chief of police of Guihulngan to present herself to the police station on September 7, which she refused to do.

Alangilan, who is also a local leader in the area, said that two unnamed men parked in front of her house in Barangay Buenavista, Guihulngan, on August 5. The incident also happened on August 11, when three motorcycles parked in front of her house around 11 p.m. She said that the incident occurred for the third time on August 15.

"This is part of our pursuit for justice and accountability. We have reason to believe that the killing of Tecson is state-perpetrated, and we are filing these complaints to prompt and exhort the CHR to investigate," Taule said.

"We have been exhausting all available mechanism to seek redress and protection for the victims and their kin, although we make it clear that these measures do not necessarily work," she added. — MDM/KBK, GMA News