SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga, Philippines – Human rights advocates and torture victims held a rally here in protest of the alleged failure of the anti-torture law.
Aurora Broquil, chairperson of the Kilusan ng Demokratikong Pilipino cited the dismissal of the case in the alleged torture of five youths by Superintendent Madzgani Mukaram, after they were held for 18 hours at the provincial police station here on Aug. 3 last year.
“They were blindfolded, sustained heavy bruises, burns and were bloodied after they were finally released from illegal detention,” Broquil said.
However, Broquil said the provincial prosecutor’s office junked the case claiming the victims were either lying with their faces down or blindfolded when they were allegedly tortured and could not have seen the person torturing them.