Sister Courageously Defends Slain FX Manzano

Amen to Jennifer Manzano for her courage! She said she had to do this despite some opposition and threats as it is the RIGHT THING, a BASIC RESPONSIBILITY of a human being to speak the truth for another who cannot defend himself --- whose right to life has been grossly violated by TMG operatives who violated their DUTY TO GOD & COUNTRY.

Jennifer, thank you. I'm sure FX is thanking you from the heavens for doing this. You have always done your very best for him, and that's to courageously speak the truth about him to the media despite some opposition and threats. Our country needs more people like you.

[A VIDEO CLIP]


"My brother was not a carjacker"
By Sandy Araneta
The Philippine Star 12/10/2005

A sister of a business school student gunned down last month by Traffic Management Group (TMG) officers during an anti-carjacking operation said yesterday her brother was not a criminal, the first time the family has made a public statement about the incident.

In a press conference held at the Astoria Plaza in Pasig City, Jennifer Manzano, 37, read a statement in connection with the killing of her brother Francis Xavier, praying that the investigation being conducted by the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) "may bear fruit and that justice may be done so that Francis may be able to truly rest peacefully."

Francis Xavier, 26, a second year college student at the Thames Business School, was shot dead by police anit-carjacking operatives at the Ortigas Center in Pasig City last Nov. 7.

Also killed were his companions Brian Anthony Dulay and Antonio Cu-Unjieng.

Francis was the youngest of five siblings.

"He has been described as a criminal and a carjacker by those who took his life. Francis Xavier, FX to us, was many things, but he was not a criminal, he was not a carjacker," said Jennifer, who was almost in tears as she read her family’s statement.

She told the media men that neither Francis nor any other member of the family ever owned a firearm.

Jennifer said they are deeply pained and traumatized by the passing of their youngest.

"We believe that we owe it to our brother as well as to our late parents not to allow our name to be trampled upon and vilified without cause and without justification," she said.

Jennifer said that while they do not wish to condemn the Philippine National Police (PNP) as an institution, they cannot turn a blind eye to the video footage of the "overkill" as well as the testimonies of eyewitnesses "that show beyond any doubt that those who killed Francis disregarded the rules of engagement and violated his fundamental human rights."

"We believe in the rule of law. Francis was not accorded the rule of law. He was not a criminal, yet he was treated like the worst kind of criminal. He was never charged, tried, convicted or sentenced, yet he was executed," Jennifer said.

She said the family agreed to cooperate with the CHR in its investigation, and acceded the request to have the remains of Francis exhumed and his body re-examined by a doctor who had been commissioned by the CHR.

This was done last Nov. 26 in Baguio City. They are now awaiting the official report and findings of the autopsy which they believe would bring them closer to the truth.

Jennifer, on behalf of the family, thanked several people including CHR chairwoman Purificacion Quisumbing, UNTV for the video taken by a news crew and other witnesses, for helping them in the search for the truth.

Lawyer Theodore Te, legal counsel of the Manzano family, said they are now closely coordinating with Dr. Raquel del Rosario-Fortun, who performed the autopsy.

He said the family is hoping the report would come out soon.

"We are hoping that it will bring us closer to the truth to finding out what truly happened on Nov. 7, 2005. The re-examination and the re-autopsy will unearth a lot of things that right now cannot be explained in relation to the death of Francis," Te said.

He said that even if the families of those killed do not file charges, then the Department of Justice has a duty to do so, if the CHR finds basis.

Te said there were a lot of people in the area during the alleged shootout. He hopes that those witnesses will come forward.

"Without witnesses or without enough witnesses, I don’t think they will have too much basis to proceed. We are also making this appeal to people who may have been there, may have information, to come forward and coordinate with the CHR. If they are willing to coordinate with us, then I will coordinate with the CHR on their behalf," the lawyer said.

He said the Manzano family is thankful that the CHR took the initiative and continues to follow up the investigation.

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"Suspected carjacker’s kin disputes police charges "
By Dennis Carcamo

THE elder sister of one of the suspected carjackers who were killed in a shootout with the police in Ortigas Center yesterday broke her silence and denied that her brother was involved in carjacking.

Jennifer Manzano, 37, sister of Francis Xavier Manzano, 26, one of the three alleged car thieves gunned down by operatives of the Traffic Management Group, surfaced to belie police’s allegations against her brother.

“Francis has been described as a criminal and a carjacker by those who took his life. Francis, FX to us, was many things, but he was not a criminal, he was not a carjacker,” Jennifer, along with her lawyer Thedore Te, said in press conference at Astoria Plaza in Barangay San Antonio Pasig.

She said their family is still waiting for the results of the autopsy on Francis performed by Dr. Raquel del Rosario-Fortun last Nov. 26 and 27 in Baguio City.

“We await her official report and findings, which we are confident will bring us closer to the truth,” she said.

Aside from Manzano, Brian Anthony Dulay and Antonio Cu-Unjieng were also shot dead by pursuing traffic policemen during an operation in Ortigas Center last Nov. 7.

But Jennifer described her brother as “a kind-hearted and peace-loving person” and “a person who abhorred violence and who was incapable of the acts he is now, in death, accused of having done.”

Jennifer read a statement of the family and refused to entertain any questions from journalists.

“Our family is law-abiding and God-fearing. We were raised well by our parents and family members who inculcated in us high moral standards and values,” she added.

The Manzano family, she pointed out, “(does) not condemn the Philippine National Police as an institution. But, they cannot turn a blind eye to the video footages of the killings as well as the testimonies of eyewitnesses that show beyond any doubt that the incident (was) not a legitimate shootout.”

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"Manzano’s kin seek justice"
Inquirer

Editor's Note: Published on page A19 of the December 10, 2005 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer


THE FAMILY of one of three suspected car thieves killed in a clash with police have agreed to have his remains exhumed and reexamined, ending weeks of silence and starting what they said was a quest for justice and a “search for the truth.”

The family of Francis Xavier Manzano, 26, who was killed in a gunfight with police last month with two other suspected car thieves, said Manzano was wrongly reported as a car thief.

“Francis was not accorded the rule of law,” said Jennifer, 37, Francis’ sister. “He was not a criminal, yet he was treated like the worst kind of criminal.”

Jennifer said the family was now ready to cooperate with the Commission on Human Rights, which is investigating allegations that Manzano, Anton Cu-Unjieng and Brian Anthony Dulay were murdered by police.

The three, accused of being car thieves, were killed Nov. 7 at the Ortigas Business Center by agents of the Traffic Management Group (TMG).

The TMG said the three were killed in a gunfight, but witnesses were quoted as saying the young men never fired at the policemen.

Footage taken by TV station UNTV showed the police used “excessive force” against the three, according to lawyer Theodore Te, counsel of the Manzano family.

“We cannot turn a blind eye to the video footage of the killings as well as the testimony of eyewitnesses that show beyond any doubt that those who killed (Manzano) disregarded the rules of engagement and violated his fundamental human rights,” Jennifer said.

She said Francis, the youngest of five siblings who was called in the family as FX, never owned a gun.

“We don’t have a gun in the family,” she said. “Francis has been described as a criminal and a carjacker by those who took his life... But he was not a criminal, he was not a carjacker.”

She said it took the family “much reflection and prayer” before deciding to have his body exhumed and reexamined.

The family also chose to keep quiet for a long time.

“We are also a very private family, with no desire to engage in public mudslinging with anyone,” Jennifer said.

“However, we believe that we owe it to our brother as well as to our late parents to not allow our name to be trampled upon and vilified,” she added.

The body was exhumed Nov. 26-27 in Baguio City. It is already being reexamined by forensic expert Raquel Fortun as part of an ongoing investigation.

Te said the family doesn’t know how long the examination would take or when its results would be known.