Republic of the Philippines

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE RESOLUTION No. 76

________________________________________________________________________
Introduced by Reps. TEODORO A. CASIÑO and NERI JAVIER COLMENARES

RESOLUTION
EXPRESSING THE HOUSE’S CONDEMNATION OVER THE KILLING OF
HUMAN RIGHTS WORKER AND BAYAN MUNA MEMBER BENJAMIN
BAYLES ON JUNE 14, 2010 IN HIMAMAYLAN CITY, NEGROS OCCIDENTAL
ALLEGEDLY PERPETRATED BY ELEMENTS OF THE 61ST INFANTRY
BATTALION OF THE PHILIPPINE ARMY IDENTIFIED AS
ROGER BAJON AND RONNIE CAURINO

WHEREAS, on June 14, 2010 at around 4:30 p.m., Benjamin Bayles, 43, was shot by two
motorcycle-riding men donning helmets while waiting for a ride at a crossing at Sitio Antolo,
Brgy. Suay, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental;

WHEREAS, Bayles was former officer of the Bayan Muna Himamaylan City chapter, a
human rights worker for KARAPATAN-Negros and member of the September 21
Movement. He was also an Aglipayan lay leader and a member of the National Federation of
Sugar Workers (NFSW). According to the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI), Bayles had
been visited several times by soldiers urging him to resign from the cause-oriented groups;

WHEREAS, one of the suspects disembarked from a black Honda TMX 155 motorcycle
with no license plate and shot at different parts of the victim’s body. Once down, the driver
of the motorcycle approached Bayles and also shot him. Bayles died while being rushed by
bystanders to the Valeriano Gatuslao District Hospital. He sustained 25 gunshot wounds;

WHEREAS, the two suspects were later intercepted at a police station in Kabankalan City.
Two .45 caliber pistols were found in their possession. Two empty shells of a similar gun
were found at the crime scene;

WHEREAS, the suspects identified as Roger Bajon, 26, and Ronnie Caurino, 24, confessed
to being “organic” members of the 61st Infantry Battalion (IB) of the Philippine Army,
based on a radio interview with the Kabankalan police at “Aksyon Radyo” DYEZ;

WHEREAS, the Himamaylan police later retracted the Kabankalan police’s statement while
the 61st IB denied the accusations, saying that the men are not in their roster and that
Himamaylan is not included in their area of operations. The police have requested for a list
of the 61st IB troops;
WHEREAS, the city prosecutor of Himamaylan has established probable cause and has
filed an Information for Murder entitled “People of the Philippines, Complainant, vs.
Roger Bajon and Ronnie Caurino, Accused” docketed as Criminal Case No. 2474, on
July 5, 2010, at the Regional Trial Court of Himamaylan;

WHEREAS, the killing happened during what has now been dubbed as a “last-minute
killing spree” under then Gloria-Macapagal Arroyo’s administration. Seven people were
killed from May 19 to June, some killed less than 24 hours apart;

WHEREAS, Bayles is the 144th Bayan Muna member to be killed under the Arroyo
administration;

WHEREAS, Bayles’ death brings to fore the plight of human rights workers who have long
been subjected to harassment and violence in the conduct of their work. Under Arroyo’s
nine-year rule, thirty-five (35) human rights workers were killed, three (3) were abducted and
thirteen (13) were tortured. There were 1,203 documented victims of extrajudicial killings
and 206 documented victims of enforced disappearances;

WHEREAS, newly-installed Pres. Benigno Simeon Aquino III has committed to resolve
the extrajudicial killings and other human rights violations that marked the nine-year rule of
Mrs. Arroyo;

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the House of Representatives strongly

condemn the killing of human rights worker and Bayan Muna member Benjamin Bayles, on
June 14, 2010 in Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental allegedly perpetrated by elements of
the 61st Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army identified as Roger Bajon and Ronnie
Caurino.

Adopted,

REP. TEODORO A. CASIÑO REP. NERI JAVIER COLMENARES

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