Philippines: Farmer leader of Bukidnon illegally held by Military
Event- Country
- Philippines
- Initial Date
- Apr 12, 2018
- Event Description
ALERT: Jose Benemerito Jr, secretary general of the Kahugpungan sa mga Mag-uuma sa Bukidnon (KASAMA Bukidnon)-Kliusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas is currently being held by three military men at the Musuan bridge in Maramag, Bukidnon. Benemerito is among the 600 names earlier included in the DOJ petition for terrorist proscription. He is on his way to a community activity at the BTL Training Center when he was intercepted. More updates to follow. UPDATE as of 8:49PM: Benemerito resisted and was able to evade arbitrary arrest. Asserting people's rights vs. Martial law, Buffalo-Tamaraw-Limus community members mobbed the arresting military men for its failure to show a warrant to arrest Benemerito. The community also asserted that Benemerito is not a criminal, but a peasant leader instrumental in the struggle for land rights of the BTL farmers.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention
- Rights Concerned
- Land rights
- Minority Rights
- Right to liberty and security
- HRD
- Community-based HRD
- Perpetrator-State
- Government
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Event Location
Latitude: 12.879721000000004
Longitude: 121.774017
- Event Location
- Summary for Publications
On 12 April 2018, Jose Benemerito Jr, secretary general of the Kahugpungan sa mga Mag-uuma sa Bukidnon (KASAMA Bukidnon)-Kliusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas was held by three military men at the Musuan bridge in Maramag, Bukidnon.