By Shayne Elizabeth T. Flores and Kasharelle Javier

As environmentalist Rowena ‘Owen’ Dasig’s disappearance goes beyond its one-month mark, her family, friends, and human rights advocates alike continue to tread the green path of hope in their keen search for her buried traces, resisting the state’s lurking shadow.

In the middle of their environmental study on the effects of a power plant in Atimonan, Quezon Province, Dasig, along with co-environmental defender Miguela ‘Ella’ Peniero, was arrested for allegedly possessing illegal firearms last July 2023 by elements of the 85th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army (IBPA).

In an online interview with FEU Advocate, paralegal and Lead Convener of ‘Free Owen and Ella Network’ Lep Balbarona argued that the firearm allegations against the activists were questionable.

“May witness sila na may baril daw si Owen na hawak pero ang sabi ay naka-jogging pants daw siya so it doesn't make sense kasi, kung ikaw, may dala kang baril, malalaglag ‘yun sa pants mo (They said that they have a witness who saw Owen holding a gun, but it was also mentioned that she was wearing jogging pants, so it doesn’t make sense as the gun would’ve fallen from the pants),” she stressed.

In a separate online interview, Youth Movement Against Tyranny (YMAT) Southern Tagalog (ST) Lead Convener and paralegal under Karapatan ST Ida Palo said that they filed a demurrer to evidence, a legal remedy aimed at establishing that the method of retrieving the evidence presented by the prosecution was questionable and lacked due process.

“Before [the police officers] arrived sa scene as arresting officers. Allegedly, the military were already inside where Owen and Tita Ella were during that day. So hindi malayo talaga na evidence could be planted so ‘yun naman ‘yung pino-point out din natin sa demurrer na minotion natin (Evidence could likely be planted which is what we pointed out in the demurrer we put to motion) and also… The testimonies of the witnesses of the prosecution have a lot of inconsistencies),” she explained.

Prior to the disappearance

According to Palo, Dasig’s case was officially dismissed via a court resolution dated August 13, but they were only informed about the motion on August 20.

Meanwhile, Peniero remained detained due to trumped-up charges, including two counts of alleged violations of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020.

Upon knowing the news of her acquittal, the legal team prepared the necessary documents for Dasig’s release last August 21.

“Ang nangyari kasi nun, August 20, nalaman natin na dismissed nga ‘yung mga kaso kay Owen at makakalaya na siya. Bale August 21, kaming mga paralegals niya [ay] tumungo agad sa BJMP [Bureau of Jail Management and Penology] at sa RTC [Regional Trial Court] Branch 172 kasi nandun ‘yung mga case ni Owen (Last August 20, we found out that Owen’s cases were dismissed and she will be released. On August 21, us paralegals immediately went to BJMP and RTC Branch 172 because Owen’s cases were there),” she explained.

However, the team was met with BJMP Lucena District Jail’s delaying procedures.

“Lahat naman nakausap na, pati ‘yung (Everyone has talked to them, even the) legal counsel, Atty. Tony La Viña, Atty. Karlo Zarate, paralegals who were on ground also were able to talk to them pero they refused to do their duty, ang binabanggit nila, they needed to verify the documents so we gave the documents that we had and they were able to return it photocopied. Ibig sabihin, the verification process was therefore completed kasi photocopy na ‘yung bumalik (because it returned as a photocopy already),” she said.

The team was compelled to retrieve Owen the next day, August 22, but was unable to, as the BJMP eventually claimed to have already released the activist to her family.

“Until kinabukasan na nga ay talagang morning, we were already there, around 6 a.m. Around 8 a.m., lalabasin tayo ng BJMP, sasabihin na nasundo na raw si Owen ng 7:30 which was bewildering for us kasi nando'n naman tayo (Until the next day we were already there by morning, around 6 a.m. Around 8 a.m., the BJMP faced us stating that Owen was already fetched at 7:30 which was bewildering for us because we were just there),” Palo stated.

Considering the initial issue of inconclusive evidence and the officers’ efforts to postpone her friend’s release, Palo insisted that there was foul play.

“They really had no reason to delay Owen’s release and… Mapagkait sa kaniya ‘yung immediate freedom dahil wala namang dahilan (because there is really no reason). The documents were verified, she is of sound mind, she is of legal age, she's capable of making decisions, and she can decide kung kanino niya gustong sumama, but obviously, neither her nor the team that was outside waiting for her were given that option,” she expressed.

Balbarona’s team immediately went to various military fields to ask Owen’s whereabouts, stressing that the military, particularly the 85th IBPA, had the only motive to abduct the activist, given that they had illegally arrested and filed charges against Owen.

According to her, they also attempted to ask the military to sign a form for the disappeared, making sure they had evidence of their presence in their field, and negotiated with them to make a statement confirming that Owen was not in their hands. 

However, the officers refused, suggesting that Owen might be in their custody in an attempt to get away from accountability and liability for her disappearance. 

Owen as an activist, friend

More than just the term ‘desaparecido,’ Owen, as her friends affectionately call her, is a person with a fervent desire and inclination to serve the masses.

Before becoming a full-time activist, Dasig was a Medical Technology student at Our Lady of Fatima University - Antipolo, but later realized that she could extend her help and knowledge better by raising the concerns of various communities.

“Lubog talaga siya sa communities kaya du’n talaga siya mas natuto. Mas nakikita niya na mas makakatulong siya sa labas ng pamantasan kaya makikita natin dito ‘yung kasikhayan ni Owen sa pagtulong sa komunidad sa pagpapataas ng mga panawagan ng mga communities (She is really immersed in communities which is where she learned more. She saw that she would be of better help outside the campus so we can really see her enthusiasm in helping communities amplify their calls),” Balbarona shared.

Meanwhile, Palo revisited her first interaction with Dasig during a fact-finding mission in Pakil, Laguna, regarding the illegal arrest of another environmental defender, Daisy Macapanpan.

“She was Tita [Daisy’s] paralegal while I was part of the documentation team. As a paralegal, and my first impression of her, she was very focused and serious, but she was also very resourceful as a person and made sure to find ways to make things work,” she recounted.

The two have become friends since then, with Palo describing Dasig’s personality as ‘bubbly.’

“She’s very makulit (playful) and bubbly. Tipong malayo pa lang, isisigaw na niya pangalan ko hanggang sa mag-akapan kaming dalawa. [Game] lang siya sa maraming bagay and magaan sa loob kasama (She would shout my name from afar until we hug each other. She’s willing to do various things and is easy to be with),”  the YMAT ST lead convener described.

Call to surface

While cases of enforced disappearances are nothing new, they are often overlooked that there are no conclusive ways of solving them. 

“‘Yung mahirap kasi talaga sa mga ganitong cases ay you literally don't know where to start,” Palo said.

The continuity of time also does not help as it only amplifies the uncertainty, shrouding the fate of the victims.

“Buhay o kamatayan talaga ‘yun ng isang kaibigan, ‘yung nakasalalay habang tumatakbo ‘yung oras, habang tumatagal ‘yung panahon na hindi natin siya nakikita o nakakasalamuha (It’s really the life or death of a friend that is at stake as the time that we don’t see or meet/talk with her),” the Karapatan ST paralegal expressed.

With memories of Dasig in mind, her family, friends, and co-activists continue to amplify the call for justice, hoping that it will one day lead them to find Owen amid the ticking clock.

The team is continuously consulting with lawyers to assess viable legal steps, as well as convening with different institutions that could be of help.

“We need to build the noise and be able to reach Owen kung nasaan man siya and let her know that we’re actively looking for her and that many people are looking for her. Continuous ‘yung ating effort to push the campaign especially on a national level,” Palo added.

Balbarona explained that the Free Owen and Ella Network, launched last December 2023, is designed to address the needs of the two activists and to amplify the call for the release of all political prisoners, including Owen and Ella. 

“Nabuo ‘yung Free Owen and Ella Network sa tulong na rin ng friend and family ni Owen na kasama niya sa pagkilos before siya ilegal na maaresto. Ang nanguna dito ay ‘yung ‘Youth Movement against Tyranny Southern Tagalog’ tapos nagpatuloy ‘yung network para makakalap pa ng funding kasi kailangan sa mga trials, sa pagpunta sa court kay Owen, sa mga medical needs ni Tita Ella,” Balbarona said.

According to Palo, the Free Owen and Ella Network is currently convening a task force for the ‘Surface Rowena Dasig Campaign,’ in which anyone interested in contributing to the search may participate.

The task force intends to sustain both on-ground and online publicity and information drives to reach more people in the search for the truth and to urge the surfacing of Dasig.

Yet to find any trace of her friend, Palo assured that while their search is arduous, they are doing the best they can to ensure its progress.

“We really are hoping din in the future and in the more days to come na makakakuha tayo ng information, lalo na kapag napagtulung-tulungan talaga natin ng maraming mga tao collectively ‘yung ating search (We are also really hoping in the future and in the more days to come that we will be able to gather information, especially if many people will collectively help in the search),” she expressed.

Moreover, the lead convener of Free Owen and Ella Network also urged the youth to serve the people by having the initiative to join mass organizations to garner more knowledge about the persistence of enforced disappearances, engage with the masses on the ground, emphatize with them, understand their roots, and to recognize the needs of the youth. 

Enforced disappearances have been occurring for a long time but have increased under the Marcos Jr. regime due to its repression against the youth and critical masses. However, as resistance persists amid the crisis, the state’s ambition to restrain those fighting for democratic rights will never succeed.

(Illustration by Alexandra Lim/FEU Advocate)