Human rights group Karapatan dared the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to prove the true identity of Rolly Panesa, the security guard illegally arrested and tortured by the military and accused of being a ranking rebel leader with a P5.6 Million peso bounty.

Panesa was arrested last October 5, 2012 and since then detained in Security Intensive Care Area (SICA), Metro Manila District Jail in Camp Bagong Diwa, Bicutan. He is accused by the military of being one Benjamin Mendoza’, supposedly a rebel leader.

“They picked the wrong man,” said Cristina Palabay, secretary-general of Karapatan.

Palabay said the military has not presented any document to prove that Panesa is indeed Benjamin Mendoza.

In a hearing on the habeas corpus case at the Court of Appeals  on January 25, Panesa’s wife Maritess Chioco submitted legal documents to counter the claims of the military.

She presented the court Panesa’s birth certificate, baptismal certificate, school records, records of his employment, Social Security System Identification Card, Philhealth Card, driver’s license, NBI clearance and a certificate that he has gone through a training for the Citizen’s Armed Forces Geographical Unit or CAFGU.

“These are all government-issued documents and not one government agency has come out to say that these are fake documents. The AFP should admit its error because of arbitrariness on arresting Panesa,” stated Palabay.

Palabay insisted, it was a “mistaken identity” and Panesa should be immediately released and indemnified.

“This is exactly how Noynoy Aquino’s Oplan Bayanihan works – arbitrary, anti-people, anti-human rights.” Palabay said.

The next hearing for Panesa’s Habeas Corpus case is set on Febuary 5.