CHR condemns killing of ROTC cadet in Iloilo

Jene-Anne Pangue

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CHR condemns killing of ROTC cadet in Iloilo
(UPDATED) 'It is unfortunate that both were under a national program meant to develop physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social well-being,' says the CHR following the death of college freshman Willy Amihoy

MANILA, Philippines – The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) on Tuesday, March 12, called for an end to campus violence as it condemned the killing of an Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) cadet in Iloilo.

The CHR issued the statement a day after 23-year-old Willy Amihoy, a freshman at the  Iloilo State College of Fisheries-Dumangas Campus (ISCOF-DC), was found dead inside the toilet of the school dormitory.

Chief Inspector Jogen Suegay, Dumangas police chief, identified the suspect as ISCOF-DC graduating student Elmer Decilao, 22. 

“The Commission on Human Rights condemns the untimely death of a Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) cadet identified as Willy Amihoy, 23, a student of Iloilo State College of Fisheries, who was allegedly attacked by a fellow student and ROTC corps commander in the same college,” said CHR spokesperson Jacqueline Ann de Guia.

“It is unfortunate that both were under a national program meant to develop physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social well-being. Violence should never be allowed in schools and universities – places where we expect our children to learn and grow in safe environments that even stand as their second homes,” De Guia added.

She also said that the CHR stressed that “the right to life must always be protected and curtailing it arbitrarily must be punished by law.”

“To this end, we urge the government to allow our laws and due process to determine appropriate sanctions to the perpetrator of this crime,” the CHR official said.

Decilao, earlier identified as the ROTC corps commander in ISCOF-DC, is under police custody.

Police said Amihoy and Decilao had an altercation after the freshman accused Decilao of stealing his wallet. 

The Dumangas police spot report said Decilao struck Amihoy’s head with a metal pipe, and then dragged him into a room in the dormitory where the latter was again struck several times. Decilao then brought Amihoy’s body inside the toilet and left him there.

Amihoy’s body was discovered in the toilet and was brought to the hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival by the attending doctor.

Linked to ‘ROTC violence’

Various groups condemned the incident, and linked it to what they called the “culture of impunity and abuse” in the ROTC amid calls to reinstate mandatory ROTC in Grades 11 and 12.

Kabataan party-list said in a statement that the death of Amihoy is “one of the consequences of the prevailing culture of impunity and abuse within the ranks of the ROTC.”

The League of the Filipino Students said in a statement posted on its Facebook page that the Dumangas incident was not an isolated case.

“Physical abuses, violence, harassment, and other forms of rights violations have long been institutionalized by generating more and more AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) pawns in schools,” LFS said.

In an interview with Rappler, Anakbayan Regional Chairperson Bryan Bosque reiterated the group’s opposition to the proposed mandatory ROTC in senior high school. (READ: House bill requiring ROTC for Grades 11, 12 one step away from passage

“ROTC breeds miniature Digongs – abusers, fascists, and murderers,” said Alex Danday, Anakbayan national spokesperson, referring to the nickname of President Rodrigo Duterte who is pushing for mandatory ROTC for Grades 11 and 12.

Anakbayan also said Amihoy is the latest addition to the tally of victims of the ROTC program, citing the case of Mark Welson Chua, a University of Sto Thomas (UST)  student and ROTC cadet who was killed by his senior officers  after exposing the corruption in the UST ROTC unit. 

The ROTC was made optional in 2002 following the death of Chua.

Indignation protests were scheduled on Tuesday in Iloilo, Metro Manila, Cebu and Baguio to call justice for Amihoy and all victims killed and abused under the ROTC program. 

In a statement on Tuesday, the Armed Forces of the Philippines clarified that Amihoy’s killing was not related to the government’s ROTC program but was a “plain criminal act,” stemming from a personal argument between the victim and his roommate, Decilao– With reports from Rambo Talabong and Jodesz Gavilan/Rappler.com 

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Jene-Anne Pangue

Jene-Anne Pangue is a community and civic engagement specialist at MovePH, Rappler's civic engagement arm.