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3 Interviews with Prisoners
The mission requested interviews with prisoners who were held at a number of detention centers. Interviews were conducted with prisoners at the following centers: 5th Constabulary Security Unit (5 CSU) stockade in Camp Crame, Quezon City Headquarters Philippines Contabulary Stockade 4 in Camp Crame Youth Rehabilitation Center (YRC) in Fort Bonifacio, Quezon City Maximum Security Unit (MSU) in Fort Bonifacio Zone-2 Division detention cells in Camp Olivas San Fernando, Pampanga Male detention center in Camp Olivas Female detention center in Camp Olivas The stockade in Camp Olivas The mission also interviewed individuals held awaiting deportation in cell block 2 adjoining the Youth Rehabilitation Center in Fort Bonfacio. The mission was allowed to see every prisoner regarding whom they requested an interview. Exceptions were the cases of three people who were reported to have been last seen in custody: DeMinDelica Ninita Evangelista Luneta Francisco Portem Regarding these three prisoners, the authorities told the mission that Mr Portem had escaped and that there was no record of the detention of the other two individuals. The delegates were told by a number of prisoners interviewed that all three people were last seen in custody. The delegates had expressed to the Secretary of National Defense concern for the safety of the three prisoners.
When the Al delegates asked to interview prisoners, they sought assurance from the Secretary of National Defense that there would be no reprisals against any prisoners interviewed. Thc mission was assured by Secretary of National Defence Juan Ponce Enrile that this was not necessary, because as a matter of course there would be no question of reprisals. The delegates expressed to The Philippines authorities their appreciation of the facilities given to them for the conducting of interviews. The delegates felt that in general the facilities actually employed for interviews were satisfactory for ensuring confidentiality of the interviews. However, the delegates were aware that interviews conducted in the Maximum Security Unit at Fort Bonifacio were subject to electronic surveillance, and the circumstances of interviews at 5 CSU also were not entirely satisfactory. In other detention centers, the delegates interviewed prisoners in their quarters within the stockade, in circumstances that afforded some privacy of conversation.
