Relatives of missing activists in Bicol file protection writs before SC

Supreme Court. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Petitions for protection on Thursday were filed before the Supreme Court (SC) by the kin of two missing activists in Bicol who were allegedly abducted by state forces.

In separate petitions, the families of Felix Salaveria Jr. and James Jasminez sought the issuance of writs of amparo and habeas data, demanding authorities to surface the two abducted activists.

Jasminez’s family also sought a temporary protection order for their family, as well as witnesses.

According to the petitioners, all efforts were made to locate Salaveria and Jimenez, but to no avail.

However, both cited CCTV footage of their abduction, which they argued showed that it was an organized operation.

READ: SC grants protection to abducted eco activist, family

Upon the issuance of the writs, the missing activists’ kin also called on the High Court to enjoin the respondents from “red-tagging” the petitioners and “seriously investigate” their case.

“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,” the petition for Salaveria read.

Among the respondents in the case include President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, Philippine National Police chief Francisco Marbil, Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff Romeo Brawner, and CIDG Director Nicolas Torre III.