CHR inspects detention facility of Miranda, Querubin, et al at ISAFP

By Ronron
March 7, 2008

Commissioner Wilhelm Soriano of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) and Gina de Venecia, wife of former House Speaker Jose de Venecia, visited on Friday morning the detention facility of Marine Gen. Renato Miranda, Col. Ariel Querubin and other accused in the alleged February 2006 coup plot at the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) compound in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

Soriano, who is Commissioner-in-charge for the the National Capital Region, said he was invited by de Venecia because she was not allowed by ISAFP and AFP Custodial Center officials to visit Querubin, whom she described as a friend.

Soriano said he was able to convince the ISAFP and AFP Custodial Center Officials to allow de Venecia access inside the detention facility after they failed to cite a legal ground for the prohibition.

He said they entered around 9;30 am but he left earlier at past 10:30 am. De Venecia and the wives of the other detained officers emerged later from the ISAFP compound at around 11:30 am. The wives include Mrs. Maria Flor Querubin, Mrs. Marife Aquino, and Mrs. Maze Cordero.

Soriano said that based on his inspection, he found out that the military leadership had already acted on their recommendation to improve the facility.

"During our initial ocular inspection two weeks ago, we found out that the compound is not suited or designed for pro-longed detention. So we recommended for their return to Tanay," Soriano said.

"But the military cited security reasons since their hearing was already transferred at Camp Aguinaldo. So we made some recommendations instead for the improvement of the facility," he continued.

The recommendations are the following: 1) a separate gate to the detention facility; 2) improvement of the receiving area for visitors; 3) provision of female guard to the only lady officer in detention; 4) not to lock up the detainees, especially those at the inner cells, due to poor lighting and ventilation; and, 5) not to use the two inner-most cells, which, Soriano said, are very substandard.

He said the detention facility was really just for interrogation and brief holding purposes only, so it was not equipped with materials for long-term detention.

So far, Soriano observed during his visit yesterday morning that all recommendations were already complied with.

"On the human rights perspective, the court martial proceedings should be speeded up so that if they are found guilty, then they are transferred to the proper jails, or if they are acquitted, then they can immediately be released. But I don't really think the court martial proceedings will be finished soon," he said.

Out of the 28 officers charged before the General Court Martial for alleged mutiny and other violations of the Articles of War in relation to the February 2006 incident, 24 are at the ISAFP.

Four others, namely Army Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim and Captain Dante Langkit, and Marines Cols. Januario Caringal and Armando Bañez, are in different facilities. Lim is at Camp Crame, Langkit at the Army headquarters in Fort Bonifacio, Caringal at the Cavite Naval Hospital, and Bañez at the Bonifacio Naval Hospital in Fort Bonifacio.

The detained officers were transferred from Tanay to Camp Aguinaldo last February 6.

"The main complaint of the detainees is that they should not be in ISAFP. They should be in a custodial center or confined to quarters/barracks, or tent, not in a detention cell," Mrs. Querubin said.

Mrs. Querubin complained yesterday that the military leadership has also suspended "conjugal visits" for the detained officers since February 15 when the AFP went on red alert status.

AFP spokesman Lt. Col. Bartolome Bacarro did not deny this, saying that is really their policy. But he said now that the status has gone back to normal, then the suspension of the conjugal visits is already lifted.

Nonetheless, Bacarro assured that the detained officers are not being maltreated.

"The Armed Forces of the Philippines are providing the regular meals and there are ongoing improvements in their detention facility. Actually, right now, a basketball court area there is being improved that would enable them also to have athletic facility and of course, their sunning privileges," Bacarro said.

"And then, there is a regular Sunday mass there… and then their regular medical check ups and visits to (the AFP Hospital) has been allowed," he went on./DMS