March 7, 2015

On the First Death Anniversary of the Ligiw Family:

The People Continue to Cry Out for Justice
One year has passed since their shallow grave has been found but justice has not been
delivered for the extrajudicial killings of Ama Licuben (70 years old), Fermin (30 years
old) and Eddie Ligiw (42 years old).
Tortured and killed by the 41st IBPA, the Ligiws were found brutally killed and buried in
one shallow grave in Licuan Baay in Abra on March 7, 2014 after they went missing on
March 3 of the same year. Their bodies did not bear gunshot wounds but indicated how
much they were made to suffer before they died. The people hold the 41st IBPA headed
by Lt. Col. Danilo Domingo under the 503rd Bde Col. Paul Atal to be the perpetrators of
the incident. They have been transferred to Mindanao during the last quarter of 2015
after they perpetrated grave violations of human rights and international humanitarian
laws in Lacub, Abra.
Impunity remains without any perpetrator held accountable.
The incident was a result of Benigno Simeon Aquino IIIs Oplan Bayanihan which
further sowed terror in the communities of Baay Licuan, Malibcong and Lacub, Abra
after the incident.
The remaining members of the Ligiw family and the Binongan people still experience the
impact of the policy and the continuing militarization of their communities. The
prevailing fear due to the presence of the AFP in the barrios has significantly lessened the
mobility of the people limiting their time to go to their farms and small-scale mines or
even trade with nearby municipalities. They still continue to report incidents of
surveillance and harassments especially since the Ligiw clan signed and circulated a
petition calling for the pull-out of the AFP from their communities.
Six months after the incident, 2 more civilians became victims of extrajudicial killings by
the 41st IBPA - Lacub resident Noel Viste and Engineer Fidela Salvador.
As prayers will be offered tomorrow for justice for the Ligiw family in different churches
in Abra, we continue to stand in solidarity with the Ligiw clan, the Binongan people, and
families of victims of extrajudicial killings as they seek justice. President Benigno
Simeon Aquino III as commander-in-chief of the AFP who has ordered the
implementation of Oplan Bayanihan and his troops have to be made responsible for their
violations. A President with his record has to be demanded to step down from his
position as he violates the very rights of the people he has to protect.
JUSTICE FOR AMA LICUBEN, FERMIN AND EDDIE LIGIW!
JUSTICE FOR ALL VICTIMS OF EXTRAJUDICIAL KILLINGS!
SCRAP OPLAN BAYANIHAN!
For reference:
Audrey Beltran
Secretary General
Cordillera Human Rights Alliance