Labor leader arrested

in the dead of the night on Halloween

Like demons of the night, police and military elements swooped down on the house of a known labor leader on Halloween.

At about 2AM of November 2, 2007, 5 vans arrived at the house of labor leader RICARDO BELLAMEA in Brgy. Kasai, Dalaguette, Cebu. From the vehicles out came undetermined number of joint elements of ISAFP, including a Sgt. Jerry Locine, Cpl.Roger, and a Jermy; of PNP-Regional Intelligence and Investigation Division; and of Dalaguette Municipal PNP Station, including a SP02 Jovy Lagrea and a Jerome Morales. Perpetrators donning ski masks surrounded the house, while the rest trooped to the front door.

The perpetrators tried to barge through but were prevailed upon by the victim’s family and friends. After an hour of negotiations, SP02 Jovy Lagrea served a warrant of arrest against the victim for trumped up charges of rebellion.

At about 3:30AM, the victim was taken into one of the waiting vans for a trip to Camp Sergio Osmeña, the regional police headquarters, in Cebu City. The victim was accompanied by Municipal First Councilor Joseph Bellamea, his brother, in the entire trip. Other family members followed in separate vehicle.

At about 5:30AM, at the police camp, the victim was interrogated by a certain intelligence officer Jermie for three (3) hours. After the interrogation, he was made to thumbmark an affidavit, which was not explained to him.

With pressures rom the family and KARAPATAN, the perpetrators brought him to court on Nov. 3, 2007.