Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Extrajudicial killing (Pepe Manegdeg)

LAS PINAS CITY BAR ASSOCIATION[1].

Unit 15, Star Arcade, C.V. Starr Avenue

Philamlife Village, Las Pinas City 1743, Philippines

Tel/Fax: 8725443, 8742539

Email: lcmlaw@gmail.com,

Website: http://groups.msn.com/laspinascitybarassociation

September 2, 2008

Personal Delivery

Gen. AVELINO I. RAZON JR.

Chief

Philippine National Police

Camp Crame, EDSA

Quezon City

RE : Mr. Jose “Pepe” R. Manegdeg III

Mabuhay:

Enclosed are copies of (a) the recent email we received from Mrs. Dom-An Macagne Manegdeg, widow of Mr. Jose “Pepe” R. Manegdeg III, who was a victim of extrajudicial killing in 2005 and (b) the previous letter dated August 8, 2007 from Chief Supt. Rodolfo Mendoza Jr., of the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management, addressed to our office, which are self-explanatory.

In behalf of our Bar Association, we respectfully urge your good Office to take all necessary and effective actions to bring the murderer of Mr. Manegdeg to justice.

Further, we humbly request that his widow, whose address appears in the attached documents, be informed by your good Office of the current status of the investigation thereon at the earliest time possible, copy furnished our office, for her peace of mind.

Have a blessed and liberated day. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Atty. Manuel Laserna Jr.

Founder and Board Consultant

Past VP, IBP PPLM Chapter

Prof. of Law, FEU (ret.)

Cc:

Mrs. Dom-An Macagne Manegdeg

Kasiyana Peace and Healing

Initiatives

Sagada 2619, Mt. Province


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

from

dom-an macagne

to

kasiyana

date

Tue, Sep 2, 2008 at 6:55 PM

subject

letter to police

signed-by

yahoo.com.ph





hide details 6:55 PM (16 minutes ago)

Reply

Kasiyana Peace and Healing Initiatives

Sagada 2619, Mt. Province,

Cordillera Administrative Region

Northern Luzon, Philippines

* kasiyanaphi@yahoo.com ( +639185117430

August 30, 2008

Gen Avelino I Razon, Jr

Chief

Philippine National Police

Camp Crame, Quezon City

Attn: Col Lina Sarmiento

Director

PNP Human Rights Affairs

Dear Sir/Madam:

Gentle breeze from the music of the bamboo nose flute…

May I please follow up the progress of the investigations and reinvestigations regarding the case of the extrajudicial killing of my husband Jose Pepe Riveral Manegdeg III and the continued harassment of his family.

Attached are copies of my earlier appeals to Task Force Usig and the Philippine National Police. Also copies of the resolutions on the case by the local prosecutor’s office and the Commission on Human Rights Region I.

I believe the people on the ground have done their job sincerely. It is however a continuing tragedy that the process of unraveling the truth is of such complexity.

Also attached is a copy of the special report of Nolcom AFP.

Even I, Pepe’s widow never claimed monopoly of knowledge of how my husband lived his life. One thing is certain though… he was a man of gentleness and compassion. One who did not really judge people by their positions of power or religious and political associations. A truth experienced not only by his family but also his colleagues and the people with whom he has interacted with of various political convictions.

I continue to seek dialogues and grow with rays of hope that someday truth will be revealed by those who have plotted and sanctioned such crime. I do not have resources nor power to prove their guilt. Before divine, humane and cosmic laws, may they answer for their acts in due time.

For me, peace work and conflict transformation is doomed for as long as truth becomes confused with one lie after the other. For just as the assassins were made to believe that my husband deserved to be executed, there will be no end to justifying such murder.

Truth will come, I shall wait in patience with my children and all those who thirst for such enlightenment. I know that people who cherish human dignity and liberty will act. Thank you very much.

May God continually bless you in your tireless efforts.

Sincerely,

Florence U. Macagne-Manegdeg

Endorsed by:

Loreta Ann P. Rosales



[1] LPBA motto: “INJUSTICE ANYWHERE IS A THREAT TO JUSTICE EVERYWHERE.”, based on a speech of the great human rights advocate and Nobel Peace Prize winner Martin Luther King Jr.