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First Posted on Inside Mindanao: November 8, 2006

Extra-Judicial Killings of BM 29 Members in Cagayan de Oro City
By Ellen Red

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY- We are not animals that you can just kill or butcher. We are also human beings who have feelings.

This is the appeal of Julius Naypa, a BM 29 member, to the series of extra-judicial killings of BM 29 members in Cagayan de Oro City.

BM 29 is the biggest jail-based gang in this city.

Based on the report of the Cagayan de Oro City Police, on July 6, 2006 alone, four BM 29 members were killed; namely, 17-year-old Edwin Simbajon, 33-year-old Bobby Navarro, 36-year-old Leonie Cabatingan, and 18-year-old Garry Saturnino.

Based on the Cagayan de Oro City Police report, except for Simbajon who sustained fatal stab wound, the three were killed in similar manner: "shot by two unidentified assailants with the use of cal.45 pistol".

On June 6, 2006, two other members of BM 29 were also killed in this city. For the period of January 1, 2006 to October 31, 2006, the Cagayan de Oro City Police reported that seven BM 29 members were killed; while in the year 2005, a total of six BM 29 members were killed; and in the year 2004, six were killed.

In 2002, Senator Aquilino Pimentel, Jr. filed a resolution calling for an investigation in aid of legislation into the 22 extra-judicial killings in Cagayan de Oro City. The victims were killed from November 2001 up to July 2002.

Based on the resolution filed, Senator Pimentel said that "vigilante justice defies the rule of law that demands that these 22 persons suspected of wrongdoing be first brought to justice before courts of law."

In June 2002, the regional office of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) released a report entitled "Special Report of Cases Involving BM 29 Members who are Summarily Executed by Alleged Vigilante Group".

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