MANILA, Philippines -- The Court of Appeals has issues a writ of amparo in the case of missing activist Jonas Burgos, a move that is seen as facilitating the seven-month-long search for the young activist in the military camps.

The appellate court granted the writ last Thursday, a day after Edith Burgos filed a petition for amparo to get the military to account for her son’s disappearance, the Burgoses’ lawyer said.

Interviewed just before a post-Christmas get-together with families of other desaparecidos at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani in Quezon City on Thursday, Edith said she was very happy about the grant of the writ.

“It will probably hasten things. That’s the source of our relief,” she said.

The young Burgos, 37, a son of the late press freedom fighter Jose “Joe” Burgos Jr., has been missing for seven months today.

The appellate court ordered the respondents, led by Armed Forces Chief General Hermogenes Esperon, to file a return, or an official report in response to the writ in five days, said lawyer Ricardo Fernandez.

The other respondents are Army chief Lieutenant General Alexander Yano, Philippine National Police Director Avelizo Razon, and Commission on Human Rights Chair Purificacion Quisumbing.

The court has set a hearing on the case for January 7 to be presided over by Justice Remedios Hernando of the 7th Division.