MANILA — The Commission on Human Rights has sent a team to investigate the alleged abduction of three indigenous peoples' rights advocates in Oriental Mindoro whom the military says are communist rebels they captured in an operation.

Alia Encela, Job Abednego David and Jimby Del Mundo were last seen in Bongabong town on September 19. They were looking into alleged rights violations in Mangyan communities when they went missing, according to rights group Karapatan Southern Tagalog.

According to the Army's 203rd Infantry Battalion, the three were captured in a military operation on September 23. They were also found to be carrying improvised land mines and explosives in their bags, the military said.

"CHR has the duty to investigate any suspected case of enforced or involuntary disappearance as part our mandate to protect individuals from grave violations, especially when such persons are allegedly put into circumstance that place them outside the protection of law," the commission — and independent body under the Constitution — said Tuesday.

"The right to life, liberty and security of all, regardless of political background, affiliations, and ideological beliefs, are fundamental rights that must be guaranteed by the State," it also said.

ABDUCTIONS AND DISAPPEARANCES

The abduction allegation comes just weeks after environmental activists Jhed Tamano and Jonila Castro said in a government-organized press conference that they had been taken against their will by soldiers.

The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict earlier claimed the two, who had been reported missing, had surrendered to authorities.

Tamano and Castro have been released and are seeking court protection from state security forces.

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Two other activists — IP rights activists Dexter Capuyan and Gene Roz de Jesus — have been missing since April and rights organizations like Karapatan believe they were also abducted in Rizal province.

"As we conduct our objective probe on this case, CHR calls for transparency and cooperation from all parties involved," the rights commission said.

It also called for "inclusive dialogue and genuine understanding" to address issues that IP communities face.

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CHR: IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICES BANNED

The commission also reiterated "its consistent objection and condemnation" to the use of land mines and improvised explosive devices in the ongoing communist armed struggle in parts of the Philippines.

"We maintain that no ideology, cause, or advocacy can justify the carrying and usage of illegal weapons that can breach fundamental rights," the CHR said.

The government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines signed an agreement in 1998 committing to respect and ensure the rights of non-combatants.

Among those rights are to "not to be subjected to forced evacuations, food and other forms of economic blockades and indiscriminate bombings, shellings, strafing, gunfire and the use of land mines."

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The New People's Army has maintained that it does not use mines, but command-detonated explosives that are used against police and military targets.

The government and the CHR have rejected this position.