ericson-acosta-counter-affidavit illegal possession of explosives

8/12/2019 ERICSON-ACOSTA-COUNTER-AFFIDAVIT Illegal Possession of Explosives

1/7

1

RepublicofthePhilippines

DepartmentofJustice

NATIONALPROSECUTIONSERVICE

OFFICEOFTHEPROVINCIALPROSECUTOR

Provinceof

Samar

CalbayogCity

PEOPLEOFTHEPHILIPPINES,

Complainant,

versus NPSNO.VIII09dINV11000230

For:ILLEGALPOSSESSIONOF

ERICSONACOSTA, EXPLOSIVES

Respondent.

xx

COUNTERAFFIDAVIT

I,ERICSONACOSTA,oflegalage,married,andaresidentof8th

Annapolis,Cubao,QuezonCity,

afterbeingdulysworninaccordancewithlaw,herebydeposeandstatethat:

1.Iam

aFreelance

Journalist

doing

research

on

Human

Rights

violations

and

the

protection

of

theenvironment inSamarfortheAllianceofConcernedSamareos(ACOS)andtheKapununganhan

Gudti nga Paraguma haWeste han Samar (KAPAWA). Copies of some ofmy ResearchWorks and

Articlesareheretoattached.

2.OnFebruary13,2011,havingjustcompletedmyresearch taskthepreviousday, I left the

village centerofBarangayBayang, San Jorge,Samar at a littlepast9o clock in themorning,and

headedforwhatthebarriofolkcalltheirportanunmarkedquaybytheriverwhichwaslessthan

anhourswalkviamountaintrail,whereapumpboatwasscheduledtopickmeupatthesaidplace

andbringmetoSanJorgetownproper.

3. IwasjoinedbyVicenteDacles,theBarangaySecretary,andseveralotherresidentsofBay

angwhowereallgoingtotownaswellforsomebusiness.

4.Dacleswasat theheadofourpack, followed closelybymyself,while the rest,whowere

mostlywomenandchildren,werefallingbehindbyatleastahundredmeters.

5.Ataround10:00am,aswewerejustsome200metersawayfromourdestination,wecaught

sightof

aplatoon

of

soldiers

who

motioned

us

(Dacles

and

myself)

to

stop.

Iat

once

noticed

that

the

soldierswererestingandcookingbytheleftsideofthetrail.

6.Oneof them approachedus alertly and askedwherewe came from andwherewewere

going.Daclessaidthatwecamefromthevillageandthatapumpboatwaswaitingforusnearbyaswe

wereheadedfortown.


2/7

2

7.Thesoldier then inquired ifweknewwhere theycould fetchwater.Dacles turnedaround

andpointedtoanareasomewhere,andgavethesoldierbriefdirectionsonhowtogetthere.Heeven

addedthatifitbecamedifficulttolocate,thesoldiercouldjustasktherestofourcompanywhowere

laggingbehind.Thesoldierthentoldustocarryon,andsowedid.

8.Barelyaminuteafterwehadstartedwalkingagain,anothergroupofsoldiers(thistime

merelyateam)hadappearedinfrontofus.Onesoldieraskedthesamequestionswheredidwe

comefrom?Wherewerewegoing?Daclessimplyrepeatedtheanswershegaveearlier.

9.Daclesalsotoldthesoldierthatwehadalreadypassedthroughthemainbodyoftheplatoon

andhadinfactgiventhesoldierstheredirectionswheretogetdrinkingwater.Thesoldiertolduswe

cango.

10.Butjustaswewereturningourbackstohim,thesoldieragainorderedustohalt.Hewas

intentlyeyeingtheminiknapsackthatIwascarrying.Hesaid:Anoyangnasabagmo?

11.BeforeIcouldevenreply,thesoldier,inbriskmovements,hadunslungtheknapsackfrom

myshouldersandhadzippeditopen.Itwasmycomputernotebookandsomeothercomplimentary

gadgetshefoundinsidemyminiknapsack.

12.Thesoldierwasquitesurprisedbywhathesaw.Nasabundokkataposmaylaptopka?the

soldiersaid.

13.Thesoldierandhisteamledusquicklybacktowherethemainbodyoftheplatoonwas.

Therethesoldierstookturnsdoingbodysearchonme.Theyemptiedmypocketsandmyslingpouch;

theycheckedmysides,rantheirhandsthrougheverypartofmybodyandliftedthehemofmyshirt

uptomynecklookingforconcealedweapons.Theydidnotfindany.

14.Onesoldierhandedmemycomputerandtoldmetoturniton.Itoldthemthatthe

batterieshadalreadydrainedout.Ipressedthepowerbuttontoshowthemthatthecomputerwont

boot.ButanothersoldierscoldedmeforpressingthebuttonsayingthatImighthaveconsciouslyand

slylytriggeredthecomputertoselfdestruct.

15.Thenthesoldiers,fivetosevenofthematatime,startedtoharanguemealmostinunison,

withraisedvoicesandintermittentinvectivesandthreats.Theysaid:NPAka!Mataassiguroranggo

mokayakamaylaptop!Magingatkasamgakilosmobakamakatikimka!Huwagkangtumakbo!

Ayusinmoangmgasagotmokungayawmongmasaktan!

16.ItriedtoexplaintothemthatIwasdoingresearchintheareabutwhateverIsaidwas

drowneditseemedbytheirintenseexcitementtobadgerandharassme.

17.ThiswentonforseveralminutesuntilourothercompanionsfromBayangfinallyarrivedat

thescene.


3/7

3

18.Asoldieraskedthewomenofthegroupiftheyknewme.Thewomensaidyesandthatthey

weresupposedtogototownwithme.Anothersoldierbuttedinandshoutedandberatedthegroup,

Mgasinungalingkayo,saidthesoldier,NPAangtaongito!

19.Anofficerfinallyintervened.Heintroducedhimselfasthecommandingofficerofthe

platoon.He

told

my

companions

that

theyre

all

free

anyway

to

go

to

where

they

were

supposed

to

go,

andthesoldierswillonlytakewiththemtheTagalog(me).

20.WhenaskedbythewomenwhereIwouldbebroughtto,theofficerjusttoldthemtogo.

Hence,BarangaySecretaryDaclesandtherestoftheBayanggroupwerecompelledtoleavemewith

thesoldiersandwentstraighttotheport.

21.Theofficerapproachedmeandgavemehisname,2nd

LieutenantJacobMadarang.Hesaid

thattheywouldbringmetotheheadquartersoftheCharlieCompanyofthe34th

InfantryBatallionin

BarangayBlanca

Aurora.

At

around

11:00

am,

Madarang

assigned

me

aplace

in

the

middle

of

the

formationandtheplatoonbeganmarchingandpassingthroughstretchesofrockyandmuddyterrain.

22.Wewouldonirregularintervalsstopandrestforafewminutes.IfoundoutthatMadarang

wasusingthesereststotrytocontacthissuperiorstoinformthemofmyarrest.Thecellphonesignal

intheareaswassounstableorwassimplyabsentthatittookMadarangallofsevenhourstofinallyget

toapositionwhereacellphonecallwaspossible.

23.At6:00p.m.,IsawandheardMadarangtalkingtosomeoneonhiscellphone.Hewas

consistentin

addressing

that

someone

as

sir

so

Ithought

that

he

was

in

fact

conversing

with

one

of

hissuperiors.

24.Iimmediatelygotthedriftofthesaidconversation.ItseemedthatMadarangwasbeing

toldnottobringmeanymoretotheCompanyheadquarters,butjusttogetridofmeinstead.

Madarangontheotherhandwassortoflobbyingorpolitelyinsistingthatitwaswisertobringmeto

headquartersforinterrogationashestronglyfeltthatthattheycouldextractfrommesomevaluable

information.Ialsoheardhimsay:Tagalogito,sir.Bakatagalegalfrontitongnationalomulasaisang

nationalorgan.

25.Afterthephonecall,MadarangtoldhismenthattheywouldindeedbringmetotheCharlie

CompanyHQinBlanca.Healsocommandedasoldiertotiemebythewaistbeforewemarchedagain.

26.Anhourandahalflateratanotherstop,Madarangorderedoneofhismentogivemea

jacket,andsoIwasgivenone,afatiguearmyuppergarment,andIputiton.AtfirstIthoughtofitas

somesimplegestureofhumanitarianconcernonthepartoftheyounglieutenant.

27.Assoonhoweverasweenteredavillagecenter(thiswasthebarangayimmediatelybefore

BarangayBlanca),

Ifound

out

what

the

jacket

was

really

all

about.

The

soldier

behind

me

who

was

also

theoneholdingmyleashsuddenlyplacedhisrightarmuponmyshoulders.Theactmadeitappear

thatthissoldierandmewerecasuallywalkinglikepalsastheplatoonpassedthroughthedimlylit

streetsofthevillage.Theplatoonhadtomakesurethatnooneinthebarriosawtheunitwitha

captive.


4/7

4

28.WearrivedfinallyatCharlieCompanyHQinBlancaataround9:00pm.Madarangformally

turnedmeandmythingsovertohissuperior.Thelatterintroducedhimselftomeasthecompany

commander.Imnotsosurenowhoweverifhehadgivenmehisnameorhisrank.Atanyratehis

welcomeremarksconfirmedwithoutdoubtmyearliergutfeel.HesaidPasalamatkabinuhaykapa.

Sabiko

kanina

sa

mga

tao

ko

hwag

ka

nang

dalhin

dito

at

icharge

ka

na

lang

sa

encounter.

29.Thecompanycommanderthentoldmetorestforafewminuteswhilewaitingforthe

Batallioncommander.Beingfamiliarwiththerightsofapersonunderarrest,Itoldhimthatitwould

bebesttoturnmeovertothenearestpolicedetachmentimmediatelyandthatIwouldneedalawyer.

Hedidntgivemeanyanswerasifhedidnthearme.Somebodythentookapictureofmeusinga

cellphone.

30.Whilewaitingforthebattalioncommander,Isawandheardanarmyofficerbriefingthe

personnelon

camp

regarding

my

arrest

and

detention.

The

officer

stressed

that

no

one

outside

the

HQ

ortheimmediatecommunityaroundthecampmustbetoldtheCharlieCompanywasholdingme.The

humanrightsgroupshesaidwouldprobablystartsearchingformethenextdayorthedayafterthat

andsotheyhadtobereallystrictthatmypresenceintheHQdidnotleak.

31.Thebattalioncommanderandhisentouragearrivedataround10:00to10:30pm.Thisalso

signaledthestartofmyinterrogation.AttheoutsetIreiteratedthatmyarrest,detentionand

interrogationwereallbeyondtheboundssetbylaw.Isaidthatiftheyareinanywaycontemplating

onchargingmewithsomething,thentheyshouldjustbringmetothenearestpolicedetachmentand

thatIwouldurgentlybeneedingtheassistanceofmylawyer.Anofficershowedhisirritationand

loudlyand

emphatically

said:

Legal

procedure

kayo

nang

legal

procedure

eh

kayo

nga

ang

iligal!

In

thatcase,Isaiditwouldreallybebestformetorefusetoanswertheirquestions.

32.Theinterrogationbyatleast8militarypersonstakingturns,commenced10:30p.m.ofthe

13th

ofFebruaryandstretchedupto6:00pmofthe15th

ofFebruary.Withinthisspan(moreorless44

hours)Iwasonlyallowedtwo(2)hoursofsleepwhichwasactuallymadepossiblebecausemy

interrogatorsthemselvesalreadygottootiredandsleepy.

33.IwassubjectedtovariouslinesofquestioningtowhichIwouldalwaysremindmy

interrogatorsthat

Icould

only

answer

questions

regarding

basic

personal

data.

My

interrogators

in

turnwouldshowgentle,patientpersistencethatalternatedwithnotsoveiledthreatsthatsaidthat

theonlyrealroadtomysafetyiscooperationwiththemilitary.

34.Onthe15th

ofFebruary,ataround6:00p.m.,thecolonel(whomIhadonlyknownas

Williamafterhearinganotherofficeraddresshimassuch)toldmethattheywouldbringmetothe

SanJorgeMunicipalPoliceHeadquarters.WerodeanSUVandittookuslessthananhourtoreachSan

JorgePNP.

35.Upon

arriving

at

the

vicinity

of

San

Jorge

PNP,

the

colonel

and

the

other

officers

went

straightintotheheadquartersbuildingwhileIwasleftinsidethevehiclewithmyguardsoldiers.

36.Afterabout20minutes,onesoldier,whohadearlierenteredthesaidbuildingwiththe

colonel,returnedtothevehicleandinanurgenttoneaskedmyguardsoldiersiftheyhadbroughtthe

grenade.OneofthesoldiersintheSUVsaidyes,andtookoutfromasmallbagagrenadeandgaveit


5/7

5

tothesoldierwhoaskedforit.Thelatterwentbacktothebuildingquiteinahurry.Itwasatthistime

thatIguessedandrealizedthatImightjustbechargedwithacrimethathadsomethingtodowiththe

grenade.

37.Afewminutesmore,IwasledinsidethePNPbuilding.ApoliceofficernamedLucero

receivedmeandinformedmethatIambeingchargedwithillegalpossessionofexplosive.Isawone

soldierplacethegrenadeonanofficetableandanotherpoliceofficerwhowasoccupyingthesaid

tablepicktheexplosiveupandnonchalantlyinspectedit.Lucerothensaidthattheblotterprocedure

couldwaituntilmorning,beforetheinquestinCalbayogCity.

38.MeanwhileLucerotoldmethatIwouldbebroughttotheGandaraHospitaltobeexamined

byamedicolegalpractitioner.ThecolonelandhismendrovemetothesaidhospitalandthereLucero

presentedmetothemedicolegalaround8:00pm.TheythenbroughtmebacktoSanJorgePNP.The

colonelandhismenmadesurethatIwassecurelylockedupbeforeleaving.

39.TheyoungSanJorgePNPchief,Pagulayanstartedchattingwithmefromoutsidemy

detentioncell.ItoldhimthatIneededtocontactmyfamilybyphonetoinformthemofmysituation

andwhereabouts.Thepolicechiefsaidthathecantallowmetomakethatcall.Ipleadedusinga

differenttactbutmainlybyinvokingthatIhavetherighttoaphonecall.Hecounteredbysayingthat

hecantdoanythingbecausethecolonelnevermentionedanythingaboutit.

40.Onthe16th

ofFebruaryat7:30a.m.,Icompletedtheblotterprocedure.Thepolicemade

mefillupsomeforms,tookmyfingerprintsandmugshots.Andaround8:00a.m.,thecolonelandhis

menarrivedattheSanJorgePNP.Theywereallinstylishcasualcivilianclothes.

41.ThecoloneltalkedbrieflywiththepoliceofficersthenhisgroupleftforCalbayogCitywhere

thepolicetoldmeearlierIwouldbeinquest.Afewminutesafterthecolonelleft,Iwasmadetoride

thepolicepickupwithmyhandshandcuffedbehindme.WearrivedattheCalbayogCityHallofJustice

ataround9:00a.m.

42.AttheHallofJusticemypoliceescortsheadedbyLuceroledmeinsideaprosecutorsoffice.

TheytoldmetowaitwhileLuceropreparedthepapersofmycomplainants.Someofthecolonelsmen

werealsointhatoffice.Luceroneverattemptedtoexplaintomethedetailsoftheprocedureonhis

volition.WhenIaskedsomequestionswhilehewastalkingtotheprosecutorssecretary,Lucerojust

flaredupandtoldmetoshutup.Isensedthatthepresenceofthecolonelandhismenwasgivingthe

policeofficersomeunduepressure.

43.FromwhatIgatheredfromLuceroandthesecretarysWinarayconversation,therewas

somehitchintheinquestschedule.Thestenographerwasnotavailable,accordingtothesecretary.

Worse,theprosecutorwasoutandthesecretaryhadnoideawhenhewouldbecomingback.The

secretaryadvisedLucerotogotoanotherofficeandtrytoconsultwithsomelegalpersonnelthere.

44.We

went

to

the

said

office,

so

did

the

colonel

and

his

men.

It

was

arelatively

big

office

spacewithmanytablesandemployees.LuceroconsultedwithsomepeopleandIheardthat,inlieuof

aninquest,hewasadvisedtofacilitatethefilingofthecomplaintdirectlytotheofficeofthejudge.

45.Lucerothenexpressedhisdilemmawithmycustodialdetentioninthathewas

apprehensiveofbringingmebacktoSanJorgePNP.Hesaidthattheywouldhaveaproblemwithmy


6/7

6

maintenanceandthatfurthermore,hewasnotsurehowtheywouldperformincasetheNPAtriedto

rescueme.

46.

Lucero

then

asked

if

it

were

legally

possible

to

hand

me

back

to

the

military

as

he

had

a

few

hoursearlierbeenbriefedbythecolonelthatthe8th

IDwaswillingtotakemeinundersomespecial

custodialarrangements.ItwasherethatIdecidedtointervene.Imadesurethatmyvoicewasloud

andclearforalltheemployeesinthatbigofficetohear.Istoodupandsaidthattheideawashighly

irregularanddefinitelyillegal.Ithendrewtheirattentiontowardsthecolonelandhismenbypointing

attheirgroupwhilesayingthatthesemenincivilianclotheswerethesoldiersandofficerswhoillegally

arrestedmeandarenowmycomplainants,andIwouldneverallowthemtotakemeintocustody.

47.Iheardaladyemployeeremark,Ah,mgasundalopalasila!andIsawtheapproving,

sympatheticglancesandgesturesofsomeoftheemployees.ThenoneemployeetoldLucerothatI

couldnot

be

brought

back

to

the

military

and

the

best

alternative

was

to

bring

me

to

the

sub

provincial

jail.

48.ThenIsaid,inthesameloudandclearvoicethatsomeoneshouldtellLucerothatIm

entitledtoaphonecall,arightthattheSanJorgePNPdeprivedofmedespitemypleasanddespitethe

verycriticalsituationthatmyfamilywasinfarawayMetroManila.AnotheremployeetoldLucerothat,

yes,theSanJorgePNPshouldhaveallowedmetocallmyfamily.Theemployee,sensingthatIstillhad

moreissuestopresent,toldLucerotobringmetothePublicAttorneysOffice(PAO).

49.At

the

PAO,

Imentioned

to

one

of

the

lawyers

that

Imight

need

the

service

of

one

of

their

attorneysespeciallybecauseIhaveyettocontactmyfamilyandmyprivatelawyerthankstothepolice

andthemilitaryscompletedisregardofmyrights.Thecolonel,asiftryingtowashhishands,stoodup

andannouncedthatheswillingtoletmeusehisphone.IsaidOK,sothecolonelandIleftthePAOand

wentoutsidetheHallofJustice.

50.OutsidetheHallofJustice,thecolonelgavemehisphoneandIwasabletocontactmy

mother.ButjustasIwasgivingmymotherthedetailsofmysituation,thecoloneltoldmetoendthe

call.Hetookhisphoneandleftwithhismen.

51.AfterthistheSanJorgepolicemenbroughtmetothesubprovincialjailwhereIwas

remittedaround1:30p.m.

52.IlaterlearnedthataComplaintforIllegalPossessionofExplosiveswasfiledagainstme

beforetheRegionalTrialCourtofCalbayogCityat10:30a.m.ofFebruary16,2011orseventytwo(72)

hoursandthirty(30)minutesaftermyarrestonFebruary13,2011at10:00a.m.

53.Ivehementlydenythatthehandgrenadewasconfiscatedinmypossessionorundermy

control,but

was

in

truth

only

planted

by

the

military

who

arrested

me.

54.Inmyarrestandcontinueddetention,myconstitutionalandhumanrightswereviolated.To

summarize:

a. Iwasarrestedwithoutwarrantwhilenotcommittinganycrimeordoinganythingillegal;


7/7

7

b. Iwasnotinformedofthereasonformyarrestatthetimeofmyarrest;

c. Iwasdeniedtherighttocounsel;

d. Iwasdeniedaphonecallandpreventedfromcontactingmyfamilyormylawyer;

e.

Iwas

subjected

to

prolonged

interrogation

for

44

hours;

f. Duringtacticalinterrogation,Iwasphysicallyandpsychologicallytortured;

g. Iwasdeprivedofsleep,threatened,intimidated,coercedandforcedtoadmitmembership

intheNPA;

h. Theevidenceagainstme,thegrenade,wasplanted;

i. Thecomplaintagainstmewasfiledincourtonlyafter72hoursand30minutesaftermy

arrest;and,

j. Iwasdetainedinamilitarycamp,whichisnotofcivilianjurisdiction.

55.ThisCounterAffidavitisbeingexecutedtoattesttothetruthofalltheforegoingfactsand

eventsandtodisclaimalltheaccusationsagainstme.

INWITNESSWHEREOF,Ihavehereuntoaffixedmysignatureonthis11th

dayofApril,2011at

CalbayogCity.

ERICSONACOSTA(sgd.)

Affiant

SUBSCRIBEDANDSWORNtobeforemethis11th

dayofApril,2011atCalbayogCity.

IherebyCERTIFYthatIhavepersonallyexaminedtheaffiantandthatIamsatisfiedthathehas

voluntarilyexecutedandunderstoodhisCounterAffidavit.

AGUSTINM.AVALON(sgd.)

Asst.Prov.Prosecutor

(also signedbyJULIANF.OLIVA,JR.,counsel)

ericson-acosta-counter-affidavit illegal possession of explosives

Documents