MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Army’s 203rd Infantry Brigade denied claims by farmers and human rights groups that an activist was abducted by soldiers in Laguna, asserting instead that she was a rebel who “voluntarily surrendered.”
“Fhobie Matias, who was a member of Anakbayan from 2018 to 2022 before joining the New People’s Army (NPA), voluntarily surrendered to the 203rd Infantry Brigade on September 28, 2024,” it said in a statement on Thursday.
Last Friday, the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines said that Matias, a member of the peasant group Katipunan ng mga Samahang Magbubukid sa Timog Katagalugan, was on her way to consult with farmers in Laguna when soldiers allegedly took her to a military camp last September 28.
READ: Farmer organizer abducted in Laguna, says human rights group
The 203rd Infantry Brigade said Matias denied that she was an organizer for the group, adding that “she also stated that she is a member of the New People’s Army operating in the Island of Mindoro.”
“Her surrender was facilitated by Job David, a former rebel who surrendered sometime September 2023 and Fhobie’s boyfriend when she was still with the armed organization. Job got in touch with Fhobie’s mother, Mrs. Miriam Matias, after his surrender, with the intent of convincing Mrs. Matias to encourage Fhobie to also surrender,” the 203rd Infantry Brigade said.
“Last month, Mrs. Matias informed Job that Fhobie went on medical leave from the armed group and she was staying at an undisclosed address in Laguna guarded by a handler. Mrs. Matias relayed that her daughter wants to surrender and rebuild her life. Job directly informed us of Fhobie’s desire to surrender upon which a rescue mission was organized,” it added.
The infantry brigade said Matias, her mother, and her boyfriend all executed sworn statements to “attest to what transpired.”
The Army also said that Matias “requested” that she stay in an Army camp for her family’s safety, adding that she had a medical check-up where she was found to have dextrocardia, a condition in which the heart is abnormally positioned.
“This medical condition is one of the reasons why Fhobie surrendered. Accordingly, the armed group, while allowing her to go on medical leave, refused to extend financial support for her check-ups. This further exacerbated the long list of issues she had with the organization that caused her to be disillusioned,” the infantry brigade said.