By The News Section 

Numbers of enforced disappearances within the country continue to grow, with at least 14 reported cases by KARAPATAN since President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. assumed presidency last 2022.

Throughout his term, activists, human rights advocates, and other individuals have been abducted, with their whereabouts still unknown up to this day.

Despite the existence of Republic Act 10353 or the Anti-Enforced or Involuntary Disappearance Act of 2012, names of involuntary disappearance victims continue to emerge, leading one to question the existence of the law that continues to fall short in upholding the promised protection of the people.

In spite of the injustices and oppression that they have been receiving, human rights groups and families continuously seek justice and proper law reinforcements following the disappearances of these individuals, condemning the abuses towards civil liberties on top of surfacing souls that may never be seen again.

#SurfaceAllDesaparecidos
#DefendTheDefenders

Ma. Elena ‘Cha’ Pampoza is a dedicated advocate for land rights who was last seen in front of a supermarket in Moncada, Tarlac. She is also a member of Anakpawis, the electoral arm of the radical labor movement Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) and the peasant organization Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP).

Witnesses reported seeing Pampoza and fellow activist Elgene Mungcal boarding a kolong-kolong, which was later traced to a woman who became a respondent in the case. 

Pampoza’s family has expressed their fears and concerns, noting that their mother’s Viber account was active until July 5, yet she did not respond to any messages sent by her children.

The Supreme Court (SC) also granted a writ of amparo to Pampoza’s daughter, who filed the petition, and issued a temporary protection order in favor of the petitioners.​

SC defines the protective writ as “a remedy available to any person whose right to life, liberty and security is violated or threatened with violation by an unlawful act or omission of a public official or employee, or of a private individual or entity.”

Just three days into the new presidency, Pampoza became one of the first documented victims of enforced disappearances under the current administration.

Elgene ‘Leleng’ Mungcal is a land rights activist, peasant organizer, and a key figure in labor organization following the strikes related to the Hacienda Luisita Massacre.

She was reported missing under alarming circumstances while traveling with fellow activist Pampoza to a consultation meeting with farmers.

Witnesses reported that both women had been under surveillance prior to their abduction, leading to suspicions of state involvement in their disappearance.
A petition was filed in the search for Mungcal and Pampoza, naming top officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Philippine National Police (PNP), and the head of the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency as respondents.

The petition alleges that Mungcal was accused by state forces of having ties to the New People’s Army (NPA). Additionally, the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) disparaged their organizations, branding them as ‘communist terrorists’ and ‘communist terrorist groups’ before her disappearance.

Renel delos Santos was one of the two habal-habal motorcycle drivers hired by NDFP Negros consultant Rogelio Posadas and his companion to transport them to their destination.

According to witnesses, the four were abducted by armed men along the Aranda-La Castellana Road in Hinigaran, Negros Occidental. 

During a press conference, Renel’s father claimed that witnesses saw a white van obstructing two motorcycles, with masked gunmen forcing the riders into the van.

Denald Laloy Mialen was the other habal-habal motorcycle driver hired by the NDFP Negros consultant and his companion.

He was another civilian affected by the military’s encounter with Posadas, who was accused by the 303rd Infantry Brigade (IB) of the Philippine Army of being the “top leader” of the NPA’s Komiteng Rehiyon–Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor.

Denald has been missing since then.

Lyn Grace Martullinas was identified by NDFP as ‘Ka Mikmik,’ the companion who was travelling with Posadas in Negros.

Upon their abduction, only the state of the NDFP Negros consultant was revealed, with the military pronouncing him dead after an alleged encounter in Barangay Santol, Binalbagan on April 20.

Meanwhile, the 303rd IB remained silent about the disappearance of Lyngrace and the two civilians, who are still missing as of today.

Dexter Capuyan’s family still believes that the 56-year old indigenous people’s (IP) rights defender is still alive, just taken hostage by the AFP and PNP.

He was supposed to seek medical aid but was reported to be forced into a vehicle by individuals claiming to be from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of the PNP.

Meanwhile, the Commission on Human Rights said that “several Rizal-based law enforcement, security, and intelligence agencies have responded that [Bazoo] de Jesus and Capuyan are not in their custody.”

Prior to the abduction, the Bontoc-Kankanaey-Ibaloi faced allegations as an NPA ranking leader. The Department of National Defense and Department of Interior and Local Government also listed him as one of the leaders of the Communist Party of the Philippines. 

Moreover, Dexter remained on a wanted list for murder and frustrated murder charges with a P1.85 million bounty for his arrest while posters stating he was “wanted dead or alive” were posted in Apayao. 

Last July 2023, his kin filed a writ of habeas corpus, a legal remedy to present in court that questions a suspected person’s imprisonment, before the Court of Appeals (CA) but was dismissed. Just last August this year, his family remained hopeful to his surfacing by submitting a writ of amparo and a writ of habeas data to the SC.
Before being an organizer in the Cordillera region, Dexter became the Editor-in-Chief of Outcrop, University of the Philippines (UP) Baguio’s student publication, and the Chairperson of League of Filipino Students (LFS) during the Marcos Sr. administration.

Gene Roz Jamil ‘Bazoo’ de Jesus texted “Good evening” to his mother, Mercedita, on the night of his abduction—their last mother-and-son contact.

Bazoo whom his family also call ‘Hadji’ went missing in Taytay, Rizal along with Dexter.

Together with the co-IP defender’s family, the submitted writ of habeas corpus before the CA in July 2023 was dismissed, followed by a writ of amparo and a writ of habeas data to the SC this August.

As an indigenous people’s rights defender, Bazoo also became an Information Networking Officer for the Philippine Task Force on IPs’ Rights.

Bazoo spent his youthful days through leadership, serving as the Chairperson for Alliance of Concerned Students (ACS) and the UP Baguio Council of Leaders, and a coordinator for the National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP).

Deah Lopez was reportedly on her way to Barangay Gil Montilla with tricycle driver Peter Agravante when they were abducted in Sipalay at around 10 a.m. by armed and masked men who dragged the two into a white van. 

Agravante's body was found brutally murdered at a ravine in Brgy. Nagbo-alao, Basay on September 17. 

Aside from a gunshot wound to his head, his eyes, lips, feet, and hands were tied up with duct tape and rope.

Prior to that day, witnesses claimed to have seen something being thrown by the side of the road from the pick-up vehicle that pulled into the area on September 16 at around midnight.

Deah's fate remains unknown to this day.

Norman Ortiz texted his sister, Nica, that he was with Lee Sudario and would message her when they left Barangay Bantug, Gabaldon, Nueva Ecija at around 1 a.m., the day before the abduction. 

The following two days, Ortiz could no longer be reached after his last message to his sister.

According to witnesses, two men matching the descriptions of Norman and Lee were dragged into a van by at least 10 armed men around 1 to 2 a.m. that day. Norman’s sister added that dogs barked loudly that hour, which was deemed unusual.

On October 4, Norman's family went to the 91st Infantry Battalion's military camp in Baler, Aurora and to Fort Magsaysay on October 6. 

Moreover, Nica reported that they were denied access to the camps, similar to what other families of missing activists have experienced.

Officials also refused to sign a certification stating that they did not have custody of the missing person, as specified under the Anti-Disappearance Act of 2012.

Even before the abduction, Norman and his family faced threats and intimidation from the military since 2020, with soldiers visiting their residence to ask for his whereabouts.

Lee Sudario was also abducted at the same time as Ortiz in a farming community in Nueva Ecija.

Norman and Lee were abducted a few weeks after the abduction of environmental activists Jhed Tamano and Jonila Castro in Orion, Bataan.                     

According to KARAPATAN Central Luzon, the activist was accused of being a member of the NPA and was charged by the PNP CIDG with violating the Anti-Terrorism Act and the Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes Against Humanity in November 2022.

A day before the abduction, Mariano ‘Tatay Nano’ Jolongbayan checked upon his wife via text—a day later, no one received a message from him ever again.

Tatay Nano was reportedly conducting interviews with small-time fisherfolk on the impacts of commercial fishing in the municipal waters of Lian, Batangas, according to PAMALAKAYA.

According to the Batangas-based organization Tanggol Batangan, he was in the custody of the Municipality of Balayan’s Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).

However, the police chief denied having him in custody.

Human rights groups have also noted the presence of the 59th Infantry Battalion conducting operations in Balayan.

With a long history of land struggles, he also became a full-time organizer for Haligi ng Batangueñong Anak-dagat (HABAGAT), the regional chapter of PAMALAKAYA in Batangas, and for Samahan ng mga magsasaka sa Coral ni Lopez (SAMACOLO). 

During Ninoy Aquino’s regime, he faced charges against illegal possession of firearms and explosives, which were junked after being imprisoned for years.

According to witnesses, veteran labor organizer William Lariosa was taken during a military operation of the 48th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army in Purok 8, Barangay Butong. This was claimed to have been triggered by an encounter with the NPA around the area.

His wife, Rosiele Lariosa, shared that since June 20, 2022, the Lariosa family has been experiencing threats and harassment, including military visits to their house.

On the other hand, the Desaparecidos Form signed by the military officer that will serve as a proof that Lariosa is not under the military’s custody showed inconsistencies. 

The form was first signed under the name of Dexter Ramos by an officer who introduced himself as Capt. Labasa, but when asked for a duplicate copy of the document, it was returned with a different signature using the name of the camp’s security guard Jhony Tumbayan.

The family of Lariosa also filed a writ of habeas corpus in the Regional Trial Court of Malaybalay City on April 16 but was denied due to lack of witnesses. 

However, a motion for reconsideration was filed and two witnesses were gathered on July 16, yet the case remained denied at the CA prompting them to appeal before the SC.

James Jazmines, the younger brother of NDFP consultant, Alan Jazmines, went missing after attending the 67th birthday celebration of another desaparecido, Felix Salaveria Jr., held in a restaurant located at Barangay San Roque, Tabaco.

After the celebration, his friends did not receive his usual message informing them that he had gotten home safely.

The multiple vehicles of interest found in his area of abduction convoyed the white van used to abduct Jazmines.

According to the lawyer of the case, it was a professional operation given that the abduction was highly organized with multiple lookouts and vehicles involved.

Moreover, James suffers from chronic leg pain from a nerve impingement in his spine and is hypertensive.

CCTV footage of Felix Salaveria’s abduction was presented at a press conference.

He was seen walking home around 11 a.m. when a silver Toyota van stopped beside him, then two men forcefully pulled him inside, proceeding to drive away. 

However, the plate numbers of the involved vehicles, VAA 5504 and NPR 5274, turned out to be stolen from another vehicle.

Felix is still recovering after he suffered from a stroke last 2023 causing the left part of his body paralyzed.

He is one of the founding members of Kabataan para sa Tribung Pilipino (KATRIBU) and Tunay na Alyansa ng Bayan Alay sa Katutubo (TABAK). 

Since Felix is also an active advocate of safer and non-polluting modes of transportation, he became a founding member of Cycling Advocates (CYCAD).

(Layout by Phoemella Jane Balderrama/FEU Advocate)