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Human rights groups seek justice for victims of enforced disappearances

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Vivienne Gulla, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="The Bantayog ng mga Desaparecido stands in the grounds of Baclaran Church in Parañaque City. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/08/28/20220913-deseparacidos-bantayong-ng-bayani-md2786.jpg"/><figcaption>The Bantayog ng mga Desaparecido stands in the grounds of Baclaran Church in Parañaque City. <em>Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA - Several human rights groups on Monday called for justice for the victims of enforced disappearances as the number of individuals who disappeared on the first year of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration has climbed to eight.</p><p>During a media forum, alliance of human rights groups Karapatan said Desaparecidos, a group composed of the families of the disappeared, is urging the Marcos Jr. administration to hold accountable those behind the enforced disappearances.</p><p>&quot;Patuloy kaming nananawagan ng hustisya at patuloy ding ipinapanawagan na ilitaw ang mga nawawala. Mula sa panahon ni Marcos Sr. hanggang ngayon sa Marcos Jr. administration, daan-daan, kundi man libu-libo, na ang biktima ng sapilitang pagkawala. Ngayon, walo ang dinukot at nawawala sa unang taon ni Pangulong Marcos Jr.,” Ma. Cristina Guevarra, Secretary General of Desaparecidos said in a forum on Monday.</p><p>&quot;Ito ay hindi lamang para sila ay patahimikin. Naniniwala ang mga kaanak at mga kaibigan, tagasuporta ng desaparecidos, na ito rin ay para maghasik ng takot sa mga mamamayan… ‘Yung wave of fear na kapag ikaw ay nagsalita, kapag ikaw ay nagpahayag, maaaaring mangyari rin ito sayo. Ngayong National Heroes’ Day, ito ‘yung gusto nating mensahe, na walang bayang malaya na patuloy na may nawawala,” she added.</p><p>&quot;Tanging si Gen. Jovito Palparan pa lang ang napanagot (para) sa mga biktima ng sapilitang pagkawala. Nakulong siya sa Bilibid...‘Yung buong pwersa ng Armed Forces of the Philippines, ang tingin sa mga aktibista ay terorista, ang mga state forces na ang tingin sa bawat nagsasalita ay kaaway ng estado, ‘yun ang pinaka-alarming at dapat nang matigil... Isang taon ni Pangulong Marcos, dalawang SONA na walang kahit anong banggit sa karapatang pantao, walong desaparecidos… hindi po kami mananahimik,” Guevarra noted.</p><p>Among the latest incidents of disappearance were activists Dexter Capuyan and Gene Roz Jamil “Bazoo” de Jesus, who were last seen in Taytay, Rizal last April 28, the group said. </p><p>Their families filed separate petitions for habeas corpus before the Court of Appeals, seeking to compel the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines to produce the bodies of De Jesus and Capuyan. </p><p>The PNP, through its spokesperson Colonel Jean Fajardo, on May 15, said the CIDG “categorically denied any knowledge” on the disappearance of the two.</p><p>The families also called on those who have information on the disappearance of Capuyan and De Jesus to come forward and report what they know to the Cordillera Human Rights Alliance.</p><p>&quot;We are here to reiterate our appeal, our call to surface our loved ones... These persons aren’t just numbers, they are actual people, they are family members, loved ones, relatives,” Bazoo’s sister Idda de Jesus said.</p><p>&quot;Dito sa atin sa Pilipinas, patuloy pa rin ang mga pagdukot, patuloy pa rin ang illegal disappearances. That is in spite of the fact that we already have a law that should prevent this… Sana magkaisa tayo, iparinig natin ang ating boses, ang ating hinaing na mapatigil na ang mga iligal na pagdukot na ginagawa,” Dexter’s brother Eli Capuyan added.</p><p>Others who also disappeared under the current administration, according to Karapatan, are Elgene Mungcal, Ma. Elena Pampoza, Ariel Badiang, Renel delos Santos, Denald Laloy Mialen, and Lyn Grace Martullinas.</p><p>In a message to ABS-CBN News, Armed Forces of the Philippines Spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar tagged Karapatan’s claim on 8 disappearances under the Marcos Jr. administration as “propaganda”.</p><p>Karapatan’s Deputy Secretary General Jigs Clamor, meanwhile, said the cases of the 8 individuals, who disappeared since July last year, were already brought to the attention of the Commission on Human Rights, and its investigation is ongoing.</p><p>“We welcome these moves, these actions from CHR na tinutulungan ang mga kamag-anak,” Clamor said.</p><p>The group Desaparecidos is set to stage a protest in front of the Department of Justice on August 30, to mark the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearance.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2200386" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

Several human rights groups on Monday called for justice for the victims of enforced disappearances as the number of individuals who disappeared on the first year of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration has climbed to eight.

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Human rights groups seek justice for victims of enforced disappearances

Vivienne Gulla,

ABS-CBN News

Published Aug 28, 2023 05:01 PM PHT

Read More:

desaparecidos

Karapatan

enforced disappearances

disappeared

human rights

Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

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