Assassinat de Sixto V Bagasala Jr
Le 15 février 2014, le leader communautaire M. Sixto V. Bagasala Jr est décédé après avoir été blessé par arme à feu dans un marché aux puces près de la ville de Malabon. Le défenseur des droits humains avait reçu de nombreuses menaces de mort à cause de son travail.
M. Sixto V. Bagasala Jr. était président de l'association locale des communautés urbaines pauvres dans la ville de Malabon, et il défendait les droits des occupants informels afin qu'ils acquièrent un logement sûr, approprié, accessible et abordable. Il était en première ligne des efforts pour la construction de bâtiments de taille moyenne qui devaient être financés par le programme de logements de haute densité de la Social Housing Finance Corporation.
On 15 February 2014, community leader Mr Sixto V Bagasala Jr died after sustaining gun shots in a flea market near Malabon City. The human rights defender had previously received numerous death threats due to his work.
On 15 February 2014, after attending a meeting on social housing for informal settlers, Sixto Bagasala was shot at in a flea market located in a crowded informal settlement between Barangay Catmon and Barangay Tonsuya near Malabon City. Reportedly, before the incident happened, witnesses noticed two men whom they were able to name roaming around the vicinity apparently waiting for someone. The named individuals vanished when Sixto Bagasala appeared at the scene. At that time the witnesses noticed two other named persons who approached Bagasala and opened fire on him from close range, hitting the human rights defender in his right leg, shoulder, chest and head. Before succumbing to the sustained injuries, Sixto Bagasala tried to escape from his attackers, however the men pursued him and fired more shots. When they eventually stopped, witnesses heard one of the gunmen say, “there will be more after you”.
Front Line Defenders roundly condemns the killing of Sixto Bagasala as it appears to be solely motivated by his legitimate and peaceful activities in the defence of human rights, specifically the housing rights of informal settlers.
Front Line Defenders urges the authorities in the Philippines to:
1. Carry out an immediate, thorough and impartial investigation into the killing of human rights defender Sixto Bagasala, with a view to publishing the results and bringing those responsible to justice in accordance with international standards;
2. Guarantee in all circumstances that all human rights defenders in the Philippines are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions.
