AFP mum on reward given for capture of security guard tagged as 'CPP leader'

From InterAksyon (Aug 30): AFP mum on reward given for capture of security guard tagged as 'CPP leader'

The Armed Forces of the Philippines is mum on why it handed a P5.6-million reward for the capture of a man they had long been insisting was a ranking communist rebel, but who the Court of Appeals recently said was an innocent victim of "mistaken identity."

Brigadier General Domingo Tutaan Jr., AFP spokesman, refused to give an explanation when sought for comment on the CA decision that the man the military claimed was “Benjamin Mendoza,” supposedly the Communist Party of the Philippines chief in Southern Tagalog, was actually security guard Rolly Mira Panesa.

Panesa was arrested in Quezon City October 5 last year by military and police agents.
Human rights groups said he had been severely tortured and released photographs showing his battered face and other injuries.

In its ruling, the CA’s Fifth Division said Panesa “is a simple security guard and not a high-ranking officer of the CPP-NPA (New People’s Army) … This Court will not further want to hold in detention a person who is not Danilo Benjamin Mendoza, accused of rebellion, murder, frustrated murder, etc.” and ordered him released from the Metro Manila District Jail in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City.

In a well-publicized event on August 12, AFP chief of staff General Emmanuel Bautista handed out P19.25 million to 10 informants responsible for the “neutralization” of wanted “rebels and terrorists.”

“Among the neutralized NPA leaders is Danilo Benjamin Mendoza alias ‘Rolly Panesa’ who has P5.6-million reward money on his head,” the press release issued by military public affairs office chief Lieutenant Colonel Ramon Zagala said.

“He was the NPA’s Secretary of Southern Tagalog Regional Party Committee and member of the CPP-NPA-NDF (National Democratic Front) Central Committee. Mendoza was captured during a special intelligence operation by Philippine Army troops and police elements in Quezon City, October last year.”

Joint Memorandum 2012-14 of the Departments of Interior and Local Government and of National Defense also included “Mendoza” among a list of 235 “wanted communists” and allocating P466.88 million in rewards for their capture.

The human rights group Karapatan slammed the reward system as an “organized racket” by military officers.

“It’s simply a rip-off, an organized racket,” Karapatan secretary general Cristina Palabay said in a statement.

Asked earlier to comment on Palabay’s accusation, Tutaan ignored the question.

On Friday, Karapatan called for the sacking and prosecution of Bautista, Southern Luzon Commander Major (now AFP vice chief of staff) General Alan Luga “and all military and police officials involved in the illegal arrest, torture and detention of Panesa” for violating the Anti-Torture Law and Republic Act 7438, which guarantees the rights of arrested or detained persons.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/69710/afp-mum-on-reward-given-for-capture-of-security-guard-tagged-as-cpp-leader