My human rights work buddy and an active human rights defender in Western Mindanao is arrested today, February 5, 2020 on the basis of a warrant of arrest for murder issued on July 26, 2019 by Judge Victoriano Lacaya, Jr. of Regional Trial Court Branch 9, Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte. She is now detained in Oroquieta Provincial Jail and will be committed to Dipolog City anytime soon.
Engr. Jennifer Agohob, 40 years old, a resident of Oroquieta City, Misamis Occidental is a law graduate and is planning to take the BAR Examination this year. She is a member of the Union of People’s Lawyer in Mindanao (UPLM) and KARAPATAN – Alliance for the Advancement of Peoples’ Rights. She was employed in the City Engineers Office of Oroquieta but was dismissed illegally.
It can be recalled that on February 14, 2018 she was approached by around 12 members of the Philippine Army led by a rank of a Major in her office at City Engineers Office, Oroquieta City. It was Councilors Nilo Bation and Joel Fernandez who facilitated the meet-up with military elements. She was profiled by the said elements of her identity, involvement and whereabouts since mid-year of 2017.
She was named by the military as General Secretary of Karapatan in the region, holding countless bank accounts and bringing medicines to the members of the Communist Party of the Philippines.
In the said conversation, she was being convinced to join them in their intelligence network and provide details of personalities in the Communist Party of the Philippines in the region. She was promised financial assistance, security of tenure and other requests. She was told to sign the paper as a form of agreement.
Days after the meeting, Jennifer found out from the accounts of her neighbors and work colleagues that she was already monitored since third quarter of 2017. Her neighbors relayed that suspected members of the military usually take lunch at a carinderia where Jen takes her meals. One office colleague also mentioned that sometime in November, a certain Renz approached him, inquired about Jennifer and relayed that she is to be killed on December of the same year.
On April 10, he was again approached by Renz. About two members of the military are within the vicinity. Jennifer made a final decision to not engage with intelligence work with the military and clarified that her para-legal work with the political prisoners and marginalized sector is where her commitment lies.
On May 3, a certain Major Alvin made another visit to the office. He asked of Jennifer’s situation and asked whether the bombing of heavy equipment by one Construction Company in Calamba, Misamis Occidental was made by a certain Felix. Jennifer has no information and no knowledge of the incident.
On June 29, 2018 around 9:30AM, Jennifer narrated that ISAFP officer Dante talked with her office superiors of the Oroquieta City Engineer’s Office. By 5PM of the same day, Engr. Salmy Abuhon then talked with Engr. Jennifer Aguhob and immediately tendered her termination without any due process. There was no clear grounds as to the basis of her termination. She is suffering stress and agony from the immediate loss of economic source. She was seeking redress for the illegal dismissal. But to no avail until the moment.
As a Karapatan HR-Volunteer worker, Jennifer also worked closely as paralegal on the case of Bishop Carlo Morales and Peace Consultant Rommel Salinas who were arrested on May 11, 2017 for a trumped-up case of illegal possession of explosives. Bishop Morales has been released on bail while Salinas is still in detention.
This trumped-up case against Jennifer Aguhob is clearly meant to threaten, harass and intimidate the people especially the human rights defenders and to silence dissent.
Stop the attacks! Free Engr. Jennifer Aguhob! Free All Political Prisoners!
The Theology of Struggle. 