Remembering the Daet Massacre of 1981
This article on the 1981 Daet Massacre contains stories of Human Rights Violations Victims of the Martial Law era. To view the rest of the Roll of Victims see this link: Roll of Victims
This article is Part 2 of a series of articles on the 1981 Daet Massacre. To read part 1, press this link: Daet Massacre Part 1 (EN)
To read this article in Filipino, press this link: Daet Massacre Part 1 (FIL) | Daet Massacre Part 2 (FIL)
The Four Killed
A picture of a wounded Jaime Molina after the incident (top left), the gravepost for Elmer Lagarteja (top right), and a picture of Rogelio Guevarra’s body on the left next to another wounded victim (bottom). Photos compiled from Pumipiglas: Detention and Military Atrocities in the Philippines, 1981-1982. Quezon City: Task Force Detainees of the Philippines, 1986, accessed through the archives of the Human Rights Violations Victims’ Memorial Commission.
Four were killed in the so-called Camambugan or Daet Massacre, also dubbed “Black Sunday” by early reports on the event.[1] The exact count of those injured is placed at around forty to fifty.
Elmer Lagarteja was a factory worker helping his mother earn money for his siblings. He was at home when he received news of the rally. He wanted to join, as his relatives, younger brother, and father would all be participating. Though not a farmer himself, he was more than eager to help his friends and relatives who were heavily affected by the situation.[2]
His mother recalled waiting at home that day expecting good news, as the protesters were merely voicing out against injustice. Instead, she was brought the news of her son’s death, while many in Matnog were left profoundly fearful.[3] She was among the plaintiffs in the “Human Rights Litigation Against the Estate of Ferdinand E. Marcos” (MDL No.[840], CA No.[88]-0390). Lagarteja’s father was one of those who spearheaded the case filed by the survivors and families of the victims against the perpetrators.[4]
Benjamin Suyat hailed from Albay but eventually moved to Camarines Norte. He became a farmer while his wife sold produce in the market. He was a father of ten children so he and his wife toiled to put all of them through school. When word reached him of a rally, he readily agreed. He knew this would be for his livelihood and his children’s future. He even rounded up some friends along the way.[5] One of his children recalled that she was picking dalanghita when she learned of her father’s death. His wife was among the plaintiffs in the same lawsuit against Marcos. She was also involved in the case against the perpetrators of the massacre.[6]
Jose Alcantara was a husband and father of five, providing for his family through his farmland and coconut crop. He was frustrated with intensifying military presence in Matnog and disturbed by the copra issue. He also wanted to reach out to the national government. As such, he immediately agreed to participate in the rally.[7] The same can be said for Rogelio Guevarra. He, along with his wife, worked on their farm in Matnog for their five children. Guevarra was updated with national affairs. He was wary of Marcos’s cronies aggrandizing themselves in the coconut industry at the expense of farmers like him. A natural leader in his community, Guevarra unquestionably led the protests at the frontlines. He became one of the easy targets for the soldiers.[8]
They were among the frontliners during the shootout that occurred in Camambugan. They were also the four who immediately succumbed to fatal gunshot wounds.
Four were killed in the so-called Camambugan or Daet Massacre, also dubbed “Black Sunday” by early reports on the event.[1] The exact count of those injured is placed at around forty to fifty.
Elmer Lagarteja was a factory worker helping his mother earn money for his siblings. He was at home when he received news of the rally. He wanted to join, as his relatives, younger brother, and father would all be participating. Though not a farmer himself, he was more than eager to help his friends and relatives who were heavily affected by the situation.[2]
His mother recalled waiting at home that day expecting good news, as the protesters were merely voicing out against injustice. Instead, she was brought the news of her son’s death, while many in Matnog were left profoundly fearful.[3] She was among the plaintiffs in the “Human Rights Litigation Against the Estate of Ferdinand E. Marcos” (MDL No.[840], CA No.[88]-0390). Lagarteja’s father was one of those who spearheaded the case filed by the survivors and families of the victims against the perpetrators.[4]
Benjamin Suyat hailed from Albay but eventually moved to Camarines Norte. He became a farmer while his wife sold produce in the market. He was a father of ten children so he and his wife toiled to put all of them through school. When word reached him of a rally, he readily agreed. He knew this would be for his livelihood and his children’s future. He even rounded up some friends along the way.[5] One of his children recalled that she was picking dalanghita when she learned of her father’s death. His wife was among the plaintiffs in the same lawsuit against Marcos. She was also involved in the case against the perpetrators of the massacre.[6]
Jose Alcantara was a husband and father of five, providing for his family through his farmland and coconut crop. He was frustrated with intensifying military presence in Matnog and disturbed by the copra issue. He also wanted to reach out to the national government. As such, he immediately agreed to participate in the rally.[7] The same can be said for Rogelio Guevarra. He, along with his wife, worked on their farm in Matnog for their five children. Guevarra was updated with national affairs. He was wary of Marcos’s cronies aggrandizing themselves in the coconut industry at the expense of farmers like him. A natural leader in his community, Guevarra unquestionably led the protests at the frontlines. He became one of the easy targets for the soldiers.[8]
They were among the frontliners during the shootout that occurred in Camambugan. They were also the four who immediately succumbed to fatal gunshot wounds.
The Other Victims
However, many others were also injured but managed to survive long enough to be brought to hospitals for treatment.[9] Molina could barely stand from his injuries. He could not even speak because the gunshot wound on his face also damaged his throat. He managed to attract the attention of fellow survivors before passing out. He soon found himself in the hospital, already receiving treatment.[10] Ernesto Encinas, on the other hand, was struck in his hands, arms, and back. He also found it difficult to stand, let alone walk, to ask for assistance. He was brought to the Camarines Norte Provincial Hospital and was later moved to the Philippine Orthopedic Hospital.[11]
Other than Molina and Encinas, Raul Marilag, Reynaldo Rivera, and Crispin Abad were all likewise hit in different parts of their bodies and required hospital treatment.[12] These are but some of the many names who were victimized by the military’s terror that day. Many of these survivors led the pursuit for justice, condemning what happened to them, as well as to their fallen friends.
Calls for Justice
A few days later, news reports on the massacre came out. According to the TFDP publication Pumipiglas, initial news reports pinned the blame on NPA members. Subsequent stories changed the assailants and reported that the massacre was committed by unidentified men. The media based their reports on the Camarines Norte PC company provincial commander’s account. Coincidentally, the commander was the lieutenant colonel who orchestrated the shooting himself. Survivors, families, and witnesses from Matnog immediately repudiated him and called for a proper investigation.[13]
No journalists covered the event and no photographers documented what happened. Still, many survivors and witnesses could easily disprove the lieutenant colonel’s account of the massacre.[14] KMTD likewise denounced this and directly protested to President Marcos in a telegram. KMTD chairman, Atty. J. Antonio Carpio demanded the relief of all accused officials and called for their investigation and prosecution. “We denounce the use of the military to stop and disperse Filipino citizens peacefully exercising their constitutional right to assemble and petition for redress of grievances in an orderly manner,” said Carpio.[15]
The PC and the government did not take kindly to this move. On July 2 and 3, Atty. Carpio, along with Grace Vinzons Magana, was arrested on orders of the PC. The arrest was supposedly based on a PCO issued by Marcos himself on June 26. They were nabbed for supposedly violating the Anti-Subversion Law (P.D. No.[885]) and the production of propaganda pamphlets (P.D. No.[33]). Marcos ordered arrests through the PCO on the same charges filed against the thousands of detainees during the Martial Law period. It became more apparent that in terms of unjust persecution of dissenters and opposition, nothing changed after the lifting of Martial Law. The two were shortly released, after strong public clamor in Camarines Norte.[16] However, it remained clear to many that the calls for the government to act on the massacre merely fell on deaf ears.
In 1983, an investigation by the Human Rights Committee of the Ministry of National Defense pardoned its own people. Deputy Defense Minister Jose M. Crisol, who headed the committee, invalidated eyewitness testimonies. He gave utmost credence to the investigation of and evidence submitted by the PC. No firearms were found on the scene nor on the persons of the victims and survivors. Still, the committee concluded that the military merely returned fire.[17]
Filing a Case
Following the ouster of Marcos in 1986 and the creation of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), the families of the victims and the survivors eventually filed a complaint themselves. The complaint was for four counts of murder and serious physical injuries against all those who were involved in the shooting. For the case, they enlisted the help of lawyers and the CHR’s regional office in Bicol. The Department of Justice’s provincial prosecution office in Camarines Norte, coincidentally located in Camambugan, received the case.[18] On December 27, 1996, the provincial prosecutors, Leo Intia and Oscar Villafuerte, agreed. They recommended formally filing Informations for Murder and Attempted Murder charges against the accused. The victims could not specify the names of the over 30 soldiers involved, named John Does in the case file. Despite this, the prosecutors were able to invoke a legal precedent. The precedent held that they could still be liable for “collectively and individually clearly demonstrat[ing] the existence of a common design towards the accomplishment of the same unlawful purpose.”[19]
On February 10 the next year, the prosecutor’s office filed the Informations, giving the lieutenant colonel and captain time to submit controverting evidence. However, records later show that the accused never appeared, even though an arrest warrant was filed and they were subpoenaed. The arrest warrant lapsed, and the Regional Trial Court of Camarines Norte ultimately archived the case on March 23, 1998.[20] It is currently unknown what happened to the two leaders and the many soldiers who perpetrated the massacre. However, it is unlikely that punishments were meted out to them. Several reports, among them Bulletin Today and Malaya, years afterward even indicate that the lieutenant colonel and captain remained free and were even promoted and transferred elsewhere.[21]
Honoring the Victims
A granite marker of the Wall of Remembrance at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani in Quezon City, showing the names of the Daet Massacre martyrs along with other heroes honored on November 28, 2014. Photo taken by Reginald Coloma on June 10, 2021.
The families of the four victims and other survivors of the massacre filed claims for reparation to the Human Rights Victims’ Claims Board (HRVCB). Killed for merely exercising their right to protest against injustice, corruption, and deceit, the claimants were approved for compensation by the HRVCB.[22]
Later that same year, the four were also honored by the Bantayog ng mga Bayani Foundation. The names of Elmer Lagarteja, Benjamin Suyat, Rogelio Guevarra, and Jose Alcantara were engraved on the Wall of Remembrance. They are now known as martyrs who dared to struggle against poverty, dared to denounce the cronyism that had gravely affected their daily lives and livelihood, and dared to condemn the government for its terroristic rule.[23]
It has been more than 40 long years since the Daet Massacre happened. It may be seen as merely one of the many incidents of gross disregard for human lives during the Marcos regime. However, it was notable for occurring mere months after Marcos “lifted” Martial Law for Pope John Paul II’s visit. During the Pope’s speech on February 17, 1981, he distinctly remarked that “one can never justify any violation of the fundamental dignity of the human person or of the basic rights that safeguard this dignity.”24 The wanton mockery of that dignity and those basic rights was exemplified in the Daet Massacre, manifesting the inauthenticity of the Martial Law lifting in 1981.
The families of the four victims and other survivors of the massacre filed claims for reparation to the Human Rights Victims’ Claims Board (HRVCB). Killed for merely exercising their right to protest against injustice, corruption, and deceit, the claimants were approved for compensation by the HRVCB.[22]
Later that same year, the four were also honored by the Bantayog ng mga Bayani Foundation. The names of Elmer Lagarteja, Benjamin Suyat, Rogelio Guevarra, and Jose Alcantara were engraved on the Wall of Remembrance. They are now known as martyrs who dared to struggle against poverty, dared to denounce the cronyism that had gravely affected their daily lives and livelihood, and dared to condemn the government for its terroristic rule.[23]
It has been more than 40 long years since the Daet Massacre happened. It may be seen as merely one of the many incidents of gross disregard for human lives during the Marcos regime. However, it was notable for occurring mere months after Marcos “lifted” Martial Law for Pope John Paul II’s visit. During the Pope’s speech on February 17, 1981, he distinctly remarked that “one can never justify any violation of the fundamental dignity of the human person or of the basic rights that safeguard this dignity.”24 The wanton mockery of that dignity and those basic rights was exemplified in the Daet Massacre, manifesting the inauthenticity of the Martial Law lifting in 1981.
This is part 2 of series on the Daet Massacre. To read part 1, press this link: Daet Massacre Part 1 (EN)
Footnotes
[1] “Massacre in Camarines Norte,” 16.
[2] “Lagarteja, Elmer Lis,” Bantayog ng mga Bayani, July 6, 2015, accessed May 4, 2023, .
[3] Claimant’s affidavit (Case No. 2014-5D-00723, Quezon City, 2014), accessed through the archives of the Human Rights Violations Victims’ Memorial Commission.
[4] Claimants’ affidavits (Case Nos. 2014-5D-00728, 2014-5D-00741, 2014-5D-00742, 2014-5D-00743, 2014-5D-00928, Quezon City, 2014); “Resolution,” Claimants et al v. Lt. Colonel, Captain and John Does, I.S. No. 96-5959 (1996).
[5] “Suyat, Benjamin Buena,” Bantayog ng mga Bayani, July 6, 2015, accessed May 4, 2023. Reynaldo Rivera recalled that it was Suyat who invited him.
[6] Claimant’s affidavit (Case No. 2014-5D-00732, Quezon City, 2014), accessed through the archives of the Human Rights Violations Victims’ Memorial Commission; “Resolution,” Claimants et al v. Lt. Colonel, Captain and John Does, I.S. No. 96-5959 (1996).
[7] “Alcantara, Jose Esteban.”
[8] “Guevarra, Rogelio Salayon,” Bantayog ng mga Bayani, July 6, 2015, accessed May 4, 2023.
[9] “Resolution” (Case Nos. 2014-5D-00723, 2014-5D-00732, 2014-5D-00736, 2014-5D-00744, Quezon City, 2014), accessed through the archives of the Human Rights Violations Victims’ Memorial Commission.
[10] Claimants’ affidavits (Case Nos. 2014-5D-00728, 2014-5D-00741, 2014-5D-00742, 2014-5D-00743, 2014-5D-00928, Quezon City, 2014).
[11] Ibid. Both Encinas and Arcega are reported to have died of their wounds days later by some sources on the Daet Massacre, including some from the Bantayog ng mga Bayani. However, as Encinas himself filed for his claim to the HRVCB, he is actually still alive. It is likely because narratives would only come from some witnesses, since there were no journalists or photographers present during the incident. Encinas submitted these sources as part of his claim, however, implying that they can still corroborate his account.
[12] Ibid. These are some of the names mentioned in the affidavits of Marilag, Rivera and Abad, who are all claimants to the HRVCB. Other names are not specified for data privacy purposes.
[13] Pumipiglas, 96-97. This was submitted by some of the survivors, such as the abovementioned Encinas, who filed their claim for reparation to the HRVCB to corroborate their affidavits. The publication detailed atrocities that occurred across the country in 1981 and 1982, including the Daet Massacre.
[14] “Alcantara, Jose Esteban.”
[16] Ibid.; “Massacre in Camarines Norte,” 16. Carpio and Magana even filed a petition for the writ of habeas corpus, but since they were released on July 30, 1981, a month before the Supreme Court deliberations, it was dismissed as moot and academic.
[17] “Daet Massacre: The military pardons itself,” in NASSA News Vol. XX, No. 8-10, August-October 1983, 23.
[18] “Resolution,” Claimants et al v. Lt. Colonel, Captain and John Does, I.S. No. 96-5959 (1996).
[19] Ibid. This was in People v. Carizo, 233 SCRA 687, also supported by People v. Padiano, which stated that “identification of the culprit who actually dealt the fatal blow is not required when conspiracy is directly established.”
[20] “Information,” People of the Philippines v. Lieutenant Colonel, Captain, and John Does, I.S. No. 96-5959 (1997), accessed through the archives of the Human Rights Violations Victims’ Memorial Commission; “Order,” People of the Philippines v. Lieutenant Colonel, Captain, and John Does, I.S. No. 96-5959 (1997), accessed through the archives of the Human Rights Violations Victims’ Memorial Commission. source names have been altered according to the standards set by the HRVCB in anonymizing the names of the perpetrators
[22] “Resolution.” (Case Nos. 2014-5D-00723, 2014-5D-00732, 2014-5D-00736, 2014-5D-00744, Quezon City, 2014). This resolution also included the claims of other victims. The HRVCB was created in 2014, under R.A. No. 10368, to receive, assess and adjudicate claims of human rights violations victims (HRVVs) during the Martial Law period for remuneration and recognition.
[23] “Daet Martyrs Citation,” Bantayog ng mga Bayani Foundation, November 28, 2014, accessed through the archives of the Human Rights Violations Victims’ Memorial Commission.
[24] Pope John Paul II, “Message of His Holiness Pope John Paul II to the President and to the People of the Philippines,” February 17, 1981, reposted online in The Holy See, accessed May 4, 2022.