MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Rights group Karapatan on Monday slammed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. over his (and his administration鈥檚) silence on the alleged abduction of two activists in Albay.
In a statement, Karapatan noted Marcos to be 鈥渃onspicuously silent鈥� amid indications that state forces were behind the abductions of James Jazmines and Felix Salaveria Jr. in Tabaco City, Albay on August 23 and August 28, 2024, respectively.
READ: Karapatan calls for probe into alleged abduction of 2 Albay activists
鈥淭he tell-tale signs of state involvement in the abductions of Jazmines and Salaveria are there,鈥� said Karapatan secretary general Cristina Palabay in a statement.
鈥淭he state鈥檚 silence contravenes Republic Act No. 10353, or the law against enforced disappearance that has been in existence since 2012,鈥� she added.
According to Palabay, CCTV footage showed that Salaveria was abducted by men in plain clothes near his home in Barangay Cobo, Tabaco City, Albay, with witnesses claiming that uniformed police officers later broke into Salaveria鈥檚 home twice that day and took his personal belongings.
鈥淎n operation like this is highly organized and it was done in broad daylight, indicating the brazen character of the crime. The abduction of Jazmines and Salaveria bears these indicators which are similar to previous cases of such abductions committed by State forces,鈥� Palabay said, who noted that no government official has yet to publicly acknowledge their abduction.
Palabay then stressed how Republic Act 10353 has failed to serve as a 鈥渄eterrent against enforced disappearances.鈥�
The said law requires state security forces to issue certifications on the whereabouts of missing persons; disclose the location of all detention facilities and allow inspection by the Commission on Human Rights (CHR); states that authorities responsible for enforced disappearance can be sentenced to life imprisonment
鈥淭hree abductions occurred in the month of August alone鈥攖hose of Jazmines, Salaveria, and former political prisoner Rowena Dasig who disappeared right after she was acquitted of trumped-up charges,鈥� Palabay said.
鈥淭his makes 15 victims since Marcos Jr. took power,鈥� she added.
Palabay then called on the Commission on Human Rights to conduct a thorough investigation of Jazmines and Salaveria鈥檚 abductions.