MANILA, Philippines—The Supreme Court ordered the military to immediately release missing University of the Philippines (UP) student activists Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeño together with farmer Manuel Merino.
In a decision penned by Associate Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales, the high court said that retired Major General Jovito Palparan Jr., retired Lieutenant Colonel Rogelio Boac, Lt. Col. Felipe Anotado, Lt. Francis Mirabelle Samson, Arnel Enriquez and Donald Caigas, all from the 7th Infrantry and 24th Infantry battalion should immediate comply with the Court of Appeals’ decision dated Sept. 17, 2008, that directed the release of the three.
“The named respondents are directed to forthwith comply with the September 17, 2008, decision of the appellate court. Owing to the retirement and/or reassignment to other places of assignment of some of the respondents herein and in G.R. No. 184495, the incumbent commanding general of the 7th Infantry Division and the incumbent battalion commander of the 24th Infantry Battalion, both of the Philippine Army, are enjoined to fully ensure the release of Cadapan, Empeño and Merino from detention,” the high court said.
In its decision, the high court took into consideration the testimony of Raymond Manalo who was also once abducted by the military but managed to escape. Manalo said he and his brother were abducted in 2006 and that while in detention, they met the three sometime in 2008 at Camp Tecson in San Miguel, Bulacan.
The high court added that its decision is final and executory. Thus, there is no need to file any motion for the execution of their decision.
“Since the right to life, liberty and security of a person is at stake, the proceedings should not be delayed and execution of any decision thereon must be expedited as soon as possible since any form of delay even for a day may jeopardize the very rights that these writs seek to immediately protect,” the high court said.
The three were abducted sometime between Feb. 14, 2006, and Aug. 12, 2007, upon suspicion that they were members of the communist party.