By Shayne Elizabeth T. Flores

Following the results of their fact-finding mission, human rights groups KARAPATAN and Kalipunan ng Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas (KATRIBU) underlined the military’s intent to paint Lumad leader Michelle Campos and her three companions as ‘rebel returnees,’ intensifying enforced abduction cases in the country during a press conference last March 24.

Campos and her companions Alden Baguio, Jun Rey Misoles, and Rovelyn Acevido were reportedly pressured by military forces to cooperate in exchange of various incentives, such as monetary compensation and dropping their trumped-up charges.

“Kino-coerce siya… Parehong-pareho ng testimonya ni Jolina Castro na sinusuhulan kumbaga, binibigyan ng trabaho, ino-offer-an ng suweldo para maging isang military agent kapalit ng pagda-drop ng military charges. Para pagmukhaing rebel-surrenderee… Ganito po ang matagal nang pakana ng NTF-ELCAC [National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict] at Armed Forces of the Philippines,” KARAPATAN Secretary-General Cristina Palabay said. 

Last September 2023, anti-reclamation environmental activists Jhed Tamano and Jolina Castro resurfaced more than two weeks after their abduction, revealing that the military had coerced them to claim that they willingly surrendered as rebel returnees or communist terrorist group members who have returned trust to the government.

KARAPATAN observed the same pattern in the abduction case of anti-mining advocates Francisco ‘Eco’ Dangla III and Axielle ‘Jak’ Tiong in March 2024.

The fact-finding and humanitarian mission deployed by KARAPATAN and KATRIBU probed on the respective arrests of Lumad leaders Campos and Genasque Enriquez in Agusan del Sur from March 10 to 12.

In contrast to initial reports, Campos and her three companions were arrested on the eve of March 5, rather than March 6.

On the other hand, the whereabouts of Lumad leader Genasque Enriquez, who was abducted last March 2, remain unknown.

According to KATRIBU Spokesperson Funa-ay Claver, Campos, Baguio, Misoles, and Acevido were found confined in a surgical ward at the Democrito O. Plaza Memorial Hospital in Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur, where they received treatment for various injuries.

The fact-finding mission team had a hard time reaching Campos due to intimidation from the eighth Special Forces Battalion, Philippine National Police, and alleged intelligence agents, who repeatedly took pictures and videos of the team.

“Noong pagpunta namin dun kasama ang legal counsel, ang una naming pagbisita sa ospital, nakaranas po ang aming team ng matinding paghaharang. Nakita rin po namin ang alerting amount ng military elements sa loob ng hospital, sila ay naka-plain clothes. May mga pulis din po in and around the surgical ward,” Claver shared.

Claver added that Campos expressed her relief of being found when the team was finally able to speak with her. However, the conversation was limited and only lasted 10 minutes, due to consistent military surveillance.

Despite asserting their roles as humanitarian workers and being accompanied by a relative of Campos, military restrictions persisted to prevent them from freely checking on Campos.

Similarly, members of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) who came to check on the detainees were reportedly made to wait for an hour outside the hospital, as their visit required to be cleared with the provincial government first.

“This is a clear violation of the [Republic Act No. 9745 ] Anti-Torture Law and the [Republic Act No. 10353] Anti-Desaparecido Law that mandate the conduct of unannounced inspections by the CHR,” Palabay noted in a press statement.

Moreover, the fact-finding mission revealed that Campos currently faces at least seven trumped-up charges, ranging from frustrated murder to murder. She only received the warrants of the respective cases five days after her actual arrest, last March 11.

“The cases filed against her are all manufactured and meant to discredit her work as a passionate advocate of Lumad rights,” the KARAPATAN secretary-general said.

On the other hand, Baguio, Misoles, and Acevido were found clear of any charges and warrants of arrest, making their detention illegal, according to Claver.

Along with investigating the four’s detention, the team also inquired on the status and whereabouts of Enriquez by probing different military camps.

“Umikot po kami sa iba't ibang mga offices, military camps upang i-submit po ang inquiry forms na magtatanong sa mga kampo kung meron ba silang impormasyon tungkol sa whereabouts ni Genasque Enriquez,” the KATRIBU spokesperson added.

The team reached out to the 401st Infantry Brigade, which provided the initial report on the arrest of Campos and her three companions through social media, red-tagging them as ‘communist terrorist group members.’ Enriquez was also last seen within their area of responsibility or command, according to Claver.

“Sa 401st [Infantry Brigade] po kami nakaranas ng matinding harassment at intimidation… Paulit-ulit na dine-delay… Nagpapatawag sila ng maraming mga militar, mga opisyales na dine-deny na sila ang pwedeng magpirma sa inquiry form… ‘Di napapirma so in the end, hindi nila cinonfirm or deny na nasa kanila si Genasque Enriquez o kung alam nila,” she claimed.

Furthermore, Palabay cited a ‘double standard’ between the warrantless arrests of the activists and the current situation of former President Rodrigo Duterte, who is currently in custody at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, the Netherlands for charges of crimes against humanity. 

“Napakalayo po nito dun sa kalagayan ng mga ilang sumisigaw ngayon ng due process rights nila at iba pang paglabag sa iba pang karapatan tulad po doon sa The Hague sa kasalukuyan,” she said.

Moreover, she added that this reflects the continued persistence of human rights violations from Duterte’s administration to Marcos Jr.’s.

“Mula panahon ni Duterte hanggang sa kasalukuyan, nananatiling malala ang paglabag sa karapatang pantao at international humanitarian law violations. Nagpapatuloy ‘yung mga warrantless arrest, ‘yung mga hindi makatarungang detensiyon, yung denial ng humanitarian support… ‘yung pagbobobomba sa Mindanao,” she stated.

KARAPATAN and KATRIBU continue to call for the release of the four detainees upon their recovery.

“Si Michelle Campos po, kung siya ay may kaso, harapin po ito sa korte. Dapat po immediately siya ma-turn over sa pulis at hindi po sana siya payagang bumalik sa custody ng militar,” Claver stressed.

She incited the immediate pull out of military presence in the hospital and admission of the patients’ relatives and legal counsels instead.

Furthermore, the human rights groups also called for the immediate surfacing of Enriquez, urging military camps to release information on his whereabouts.

(Photo courtesy of Katribu Facebook page)