BIMBAS
Just turned 21 years old.
In 2001, Bimbas was 14 years old and attending his first year of high school. One day he went to the local ‘Queen’s shop’ with his sister to buy supplies for a school project. There he was arrested by two soldiers, who when asked why they were arresting him, told him that they just wanted to ask him some questions. They then covered his eyes and shackled his hands. The next thing he saw was the inside of the military camp.
They kept him there for eight days, torturing him “not everyday, but almost”. Everyday telling him to admit that he was ‘Abubakar Babs Macrohon’. The soldiers did not say that the man he was being accused of was part of the ASG, but Bimas thought he might be. He said that after eight days he could no longer keep up with the torture so he said he was that man.
He was accused of being a wanted terrorist.
At 14 he was thrown into a provincial jail for 9 months, during this time he turned 15. In 2002 they moved him to Camp Bagong Diwa, an adult prison in Metro Manila, and he has been here ever since.
Since his move to Manila his family has not been able to visit as the journey is very expensive and too far.
In the 2005 siege (alleged prison break) Bimbas was shot behind his left knee and in the head. He said that he was sleeping at the time, he awoke to find tear gas in his sell. He went outside to find air and water and only then realized that he had been shot. He said that the ‘Special Action Force’, then rounded everybody up and took them outside where they were all beaten, Bimbas and other wounded inmates included. He was then locked in his sell without treatment for three days. It was 6 months before he was operated on.
Bimbas told proudly and with eyes wide open that one of his friends was shot eight times in the chest and lived. It was during this siege that Ahmad Saheron, another youth prisoner was killed.
When asked what for the future?
Bimbas replied (in Tagalog),
“I have hope. I want to eventually get out and finish college. Live a normal life”.
Bimbas is a smiling, lively, constantly giggling 21 year old.
He has spent his teenage years and now early twenties in a very small prison in Manila. Still without being convicted of any crime.
Picture taken from a Booklet on the Rights of the Filipino Child written in 2005
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ARMAN
Is now 22 years old.
IKRAM
Is now 21 years old.
In 2001 Arman was 16 and a third year high school student, attending Zamboanga Del Sur School of Arts and Trades. His younger brother Ikram was also attending school, a different school from his. Ikram was 14 years old. Their parents owned a used clothing store, known in the Philippines as an ‘Ukay Ukay’.
During the school holiday period in November, Arman and his brother went to Cotabato City to work with their uncle to earn some extra money for the family. Their uncle sold dried fish and had an ‘Ukai Ukai’ also. Throughout the holidays Arman worked in the clothing store and Ikram sold dried fish with his uncle. In the first month they made 2000 pesos and because of that decided to stay. This meant that they would miss school which started in January, but making money for the family seemed more important.
After six months they decided to go home. When they told their uncle he understood and said he would drive them in his van. Their cousin also joined them.
On the way to the port the van was stopped by a man in civilian clothing and a group of marines. The group checked the van, and one of the Marines said they could go on, only then to be stopped by another Marine who instructed the group to arrest them.
They were arrested and taken to Camp Shiongco, in Cotabato City.
There was no warrant, and they were given no reason for arrest.
At this military base they were all blindfolded, shackled and tortured for three days. The torture consisted of both physical and emotional, constantly being told that they were going to be shot, that other family members would be killed, and to admit responsibility for the General Santos City, Fit-Mart Mall bombings. Never mentioning however, any connection with the Abu Sayyaf Group. Arman was forced to listen to his brother’s screams as unknown military officers cracked his fingernails using wire cutters, in an attempt to get what they want form the group. As the family was blindfolded for the whole three days, it was not possible to know who was committing these crimes.
After these three days the group was presented to the media as the ones responsible for the Fit-Mart bombings. Before being presented to the media they were instructed to fix themselves up, take showers etc.
I have been told that this is the reality of the legal system for most big cases here in the Philippines. The military points the finger and throws you in front of the media before there have even been an official arrest.
When I asked Arman why he thinks they would target him, Armen replied “The Military just use us to further their career. A sergeant becomes a general, they move up the ranks”.
After the media presentation Arman, Ikram, their uncle and their cousin were taken to Camp by Taskforce Tugis. There they were beaten and tortured once again, officers tying ropes around their necks like dog colors and kicking their hands and knees. “Treated like animals”, Arman said.
The next day they were moved to General Santos City Jail, and they stayed there for 1 year and 10 months. As this jail was not too far from home, they were regularly visited by relatives. All four were given the same charges, they were charged with multiple murders and multiple frustrated (attempted) murders.
In 2004, all four were moved to this Manila prison, Camp Bagong Diwa.
Arman says that since before they were arrested, and up to today there is still no evidence to connect him or his family to those crimes, and that he has been kept for 6 years without conviction. He says with amazement and some frustration “Its unlawful”!
I am told by the guys that the prison itself is not so bad. “Christians on the upper floors, Muslims on the ground floor”. They respect each others wishes, sell food to one another and are quiet for each other’s prayer times. However I get the feeling that other prisoners are not the main threat they face in here. The building itself is much smaller than the measurements of an average basketball court, with four levels of identical cells on the left and the right as you enter. There is a small space in the center of the prison that stretches from one end to the other at the face of all the cells, and in this space there is a cage where visits take place. They are not permitted to go outside.
When asked what Arman wants for the future
he replied (in English and Tagalog),
“I want Freedom.
I want to finish school.”
“Most of my old classmates are now professionals, and if I get out I will still be a year 3 student”, he laughed, shaking his head.
He says that some of his old classmates come and visit him nowadays as they now live and work in Manila. “They know I’m innocent”.
“I want a family with many kids”, he said. Which was followed by, “Every night”! Which made the other guys laugh when he translated, and lead me to believe that kids were not really what this 22year old is wanting right now, just the after effect. He confirmed this moments later by adding. “I want a Bachelors Degree in Making Babies”.
Arman is the only one of the remaining 9 guys that still has a decent understanding of English. He is an intelligent, gentle and open 22 year old and has managed to keep his faith, optimism and a sense of humor through the 6 years behind bars.
I was unable to talk to Ikram about the future due to time constraints.
Both brothers have seen their mother only once since 2004, as the journey is to far an expensive for her.
Photo of Arman
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TAUFIC
Is now 21 years old.
KUZAIR
Is now 22 years old.
In 2001, Taufic was a 14 year old elementary school student from Zamboanga City. He has nine other brothers and sisters, one being his slightly older brother Kuzair. Taufic is the second youngest child, and Kuzair the third. Their father died when they were young and their mother has a “Sari Sari Store” (general store). Taufic and Kuzair often stayed at their older brother’s apartment due to lack of space at their mother’s house.
One Saturday morning at around 2:30am, they woke to find men in their brother’s apartment. Four armed men without uniforms rounded up Taufic, Kuzair, their older brother and the nephew of the wife of their brother, and then proceeded to search them and the house allegedly looking for a gun. They did not have a warrant for arrest. When they did not find a gun, they took the family downstairs where more armed men were waiting. They then literally threw them into the back of a van and transported them to Southern Military Camp.
This abduction took place on a Saturday, Taufic was meant to graduate elementary school on the following Monday.
At the military base they received blindfolded torture for 3 days, involving kicking, punches to the stomach and being slapped using long guns. There was never any mention of the Abu Sayyaf Group.
After those 3 days, they were taken to Zamboanga Hall of Justice, so their captives could check their records. All their records were clean. They were then taken to Basilan Court (a jail) where they were meant to be given a hearing, but instead where hidden there for 4 months. Their family was not informed of their arrest.
It was in 2002, after those four months that they were moved to Camp Bangong Diwa, here in Manila. Coincidently, on the same day as Bimbas.
It was only after arriving at this Manila prison, that they discovered they had been accused of being members of the ASG, and were being charged with kidnapping. Taufic was very scared when he first arrived, firstly as it is an adult prison, but secondly because he couldn’t understand how people could think he was capable of committing those crimes.
He was charged for kidnapping that took place two years before his arrest, which means that he allegedly conducted those kidnappings at the age of only 12.
Kuzaire said that he was happy when he arrived because of the size of the place. The previous four months had been spent in extremely cramped conditions, and this place was a step up in his eyes.
Taufic is a quiet yet animated 21 year old. He enjoys talking once he gets going and appreciates the company, guidance and humor of the other guys.
Kuzair is shy but likes being involved. He is 22 years old, and as his story is the same as his brothers, he let Taufic share it, adding in information when he thought it was needed.
Time restraints stopped us from continuing.
Photo of Taufic
Photos of Bimbas, Arman and Taufic were taken at an Art Workshop held by CRC, with permission given by prison heads. The photographing of cells was prohibited. These three photos were taken by Alex Felipe ©2008 alex felipe, for use please contact alex.felipe@gmail.com or for more photos go to www.flickr.com/photos/alex_felipe
Camp Bagong Diwa, Manila.
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