SC grants amparo for abducted Pampanga peasant leader

The Supreme Court granted Thursday a petition for a writ of amparo lodged earlier this week by relatives of a peasant leader in Pampanga allegedly abducted by military agents last year. In an en banc decision dated November 8, the high court granted the petition of relatives of Romulos Robiños for a temporary protection order and an order to inspect the area where the abduction supposedly occurred. "Considering the allegations contained, the issues raised and the arguments adduced in the petition, it necessary and proper to issue a writ of amparo ... You respondents ... are hereby required to make a return of the writ before the Court of Appeals Fifth Division on or before 4 p.m. of Nov. 14, 2007," it said. The high court also directed the Court of Appeals to hear the petition on November 19 at 2 p.m., and decide the case 10 days after its submission for decision. Respondents included President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Armed Forces chief of staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr, National Police chief Director Gen. Avelino Razon Jr; Lt. Col. Edison Caga, Lt. Eric Bulosan of the 69th Infantry Battalion of the Army's 7th division; Sr. Supt. George Gaddi, Angeles City chief of police; and the head of the police precinct in Tabon village in Angeles City. Earlier this week, another petition for the issuance of the writ of amparo was filed before the Supreme Court, this time by the brother of Robiños, 24, a peasant leader in Pampanga allegedly abducted by military agents on Nov. 17, 2006. Romulos was the brother of petitioner Leny Robinos, organizer of the Tarlac chapter of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas. In her nine-page petition, Robiños told the high court that she was the real target of the military's abduction but after failing to corner her at their residence in Claro M. Recto village in Angeles City, Pampanga, the military decided to take her brother instead. Robiños likewise asked the Supreme Court to issue a protection order for her safety as well as an order to inspect places where her brother was reportedly detained such as the headquarters of the 69th IB at Bamban, Tarlac; the headquarters of the 24th Infantry Battalion at Limay, Bataan; Army detachments in San Jose Matulid, Mexico, Pampanga; Fort Magsaysay in Laur, Nueva Ecija, and several safe houses inside the former Clark Airbase in Pampanga, including a house allegedly owned by retired Army General Jovito Palparan. She said that on November 7, she went out of the SM-Clark at about 5 p.m. to go to Porac for her organizing work, when she was followed by four men in a green pick-up truck and two others in a motorcycle. According to her, the men followed her until she reached the market of San Nicolas in Angeles City. Later that day, she said that her house was raided by soldiers who were looking for her. They left when they did not find her. However, the soldiers, who made camp near their house apparently in the hopes of catching her, returned to their house and instead took her brother with them as well as her cell phone. The soldiers also allegedly took a certain Ryan Supan. - GMANews.TV