SC urged to issue protective writs for two missing activists in Albay

National Union of Peoples' Lawyers assisted relatives of missing activists James Jazmines and Felix Salaveria in filing a petition for the writs of amparo and habeas data before the Supreme Court. Facebook/National Union of Peoples' Lawyers

MANILA — Human rights organizations filed petitions before the Supreme Court Thursday for the issuance of Writs of Amparo and Habeas Data for two missing activists in Tabaco City, Albay. 

Respondents to the petitions are President Ferdinand Marcos, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner, Jr., Philippine National Police Director General Rommel Marbil as well as regional, provincial and city police officials in Albay province. 

In the separate petitions for James Jazmines and Felix Salaveria, Jr., their lawyers asked the high court to require the respondents to provide information on the supposed enforced disappearance of the two individuals. 

The petitions also asked for the protection of the immediate family members of Jazmines and Salaveria.

Jazmines is a 63-year-old former information officer of the Kilusang Mayo Uno while Salaveria is a 66-year-old cycling enthusiast who co-founded the indigenous people’s rights organizations Tabak and Katribu. 

Moreover, Jazmines is the brother of National Democratic Front of the Philippines consultant Alan Jazmines.

He was at the birthday celebration of Salaveria on August 23, 2024 at a local restaurant in Tabaco City and last spoke to his wife on August 23, 2024. 

In the petition for Jazmines, his lawyers argued that eyewitness accounts and documents, as well as CCTV footage, described the “precision” of the abduction, including the number of “operatives” involved as well as resources used. 

The petitioners included President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. who allegedly did not order an investigation even after being notified of the abduction. 

“Thus, although the abduction was carried out by unidentified state agents, or persons acting with their acquiescence, or upon their authority, order and/or directives, the respondents are likewise accountable for such abduction,” said lawyers of the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers led by Atty. Edre Olalia in the petition.

Salaveria on the other hand was able to send a Facebook message on August 28 asking his daughters in Manila about the rainy weather at that time. 

His family has never heard from Felix again after that Facebook message. 

“Petitioners are not insensible to the possibility that they will not see their tatay again. But hope endures all things. They only ask this Honorable Court to give their father’s plight a hard look and to prod the machinery of government to do more than half-hearted pencil pushing and paper investigations,” lawyers Tony Laviña and Carlos Zarate said in the petition.

The petitioners also urged the Supreme Court to enjoin the respondents from red-tagging or red-baiting the missing activists.