Rights group condemns the brutal assassination of former human rights worker in Samar

Press Release
By KARAPATAN
January 20, 2007

QUEZON CITY, Philippines  –  "We condemn in the strongest possible terms the assassination of Prof. Jose Ma. B. Cui of the University of Eastern Philippines, former secretary-general of the human rights group KATUNGOD-Northern Samar and the chairperson of UEP Employees Association (UEPEA)-Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (COURAGE) last January 19, 2007," said Karapatan Deputy Secretary General Jigs Clamor.

Based on the report that we have received from KATUNGOD-Sinirangan Bisayas (human rights alliance in Eastern Visayas), on January 19, 2007, at about 3:45 pm, Prof. Jose Ma. B. Cui was shot dead by two motorcycle-riding men while he was supervising the examinations of his class at the Engineering building of the University of Eastern Philippines in Catarman, Northern Samar. He sustained two (2) gunshot wounds – one in the head and another in the chest. The assassins immediately ran off and drove to the direction where a military camp is located about two kilometers from the university campus in Brgy. San Agustin, Mondragon.

Prof. Cui is a well-known peace and human rights advocate in the province of Northern Samar.  He served as Secretary-General of KATUNGOD-Northern Samar from 1998-2004. However, he was one of those subjected in the smear campaign of the military, maliciously dragging his name as a high-ranking member of the New People's Army (NPA) during the deployment of former MajGen. Jovito Palparan. On November 2004, his name was one of those maligned in the posters and flyers that the military men distributed in their area. His name listed second in the military's order of battle.