Marissa Dumanjug-Palo resident of Quezon City, Philippines and human rights worker. Former Projects and International Desk Officer of Karapatan, which is an Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights. Currently, Dumanjug-Palo is head of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, which has a division called the Joint Secretariat. The Joint Secretariat has a Joint Monitoring Committee which enables victims and their families to report or complain on human rights violations committed by both the Philippine government soldiers and the New People’s Army. Recently 38 out of 51 people associated with the NDF have been accused and charged with Rebellion by the Department of Justice, two of whom have already disappeared and been killed.
On May 31st, 2006 the following occurred. At 11:15am Dumanjug-Palo hailed a taxi along V. Luna Road, Quezon City, in the vicinity of V. Luna hospital on her way to her office. As they drove toward East Avenue, the taxi driver announced that a motorcycle had been following them from their departure near the hospital. Consequently, Dumanjug-Palo instructed the driver to take her to the EDSA (Epifanio de los Santos Avenue), which is a main highway in Metro Manila/National Capital Region (NCR) and the main site of the 1986 Philippine Revolution. While proceeding towards EDSA the driver noted that they were now being followed by two motorcycles. While there were only two bikes, there were a total of four men all wearing black helmets and dark-coloured jackets. Neither motorcycle had a license plate. Upon directing the taxi driver to turn right on New York Street, the motorcycles ceased to follow the taxi and drove off in the direction of Cubao, the former capital and the most populated city in the Philippines.
LRWC ACTION
Letter by Luningning Alcuitas-Imperial sent on June 8, 2006
