Families of missing Albay activists seek Supreme Court protection writs
MANILA, Philippines — The families of human rights activist James Jazmines and cycling advocate Felix Salaveria Jr. asked the Supreme Court on Thursday, November 14, to issue protection writs to safeguard them and compel state authorities to investigate their disappearances.
Cora Jazmines, the wife of James Jazmines, along with Gabreyel and Felicia Ferrer, family members of Felix Salaveria, filed a petition for writs of amparo and habeas data on behalf of their missing relatives.
The petitioners stated that they had explored every possible avenue to find James and Felix, including searching in various camps and police stations, but their efforts yielded no results.
A writ of amparo protects individuals whose right to life, liberty, or security is violated or threatened by unlawful acts of public officials, employees or private entities.
Meanwhile, a writ of habeas data enables individuals to control information about themselves that was illegally obtained.
The requested writs also extend to the family members of the missing activists.
In addition to seeking protective writs, the petition asked the high court to compel state authorities to disclose the whereabouts of the missing men and conduct a thorough investigation into their disappearances.
In a press conference held in September, human rights group Karapatan said the Philippine National Police in Region 5 refused to sign an inquiry form to initiate the search for the missing men.
“Under RA 10353, State actors have the duty and obligation to conduct thorough and impartial investigations on cases of enforced disappearances. However, when presented with the inquiry form as per the law, the PNP CIDG in Region 5 refused to sign it, claiming that they were unaware of such a law,” Karapatan’s report read.
Who are they
According to Karapatan, James Jazmines and Felix Salaveria have been missing since the last week of August.
James is the youngest brother of Alan Jazmines, a National Democratic Front of the Philippines consultant.
The Jazmines family has faced ongoing harassment, especially during Alan’s involvement in peace talks between the NDFP and the government under former President Rodrigo Duterte, explained James’ wife, Cora, in a press conference last month.
Alan was released from detention in 2016 when peace negotiations reopened but went underground after Duterte ended the talks in 2017.
In October, Karapatan presented CCTV footage reportedly showing Salaveria being abducted by plainclothes men in a silver Toyota van days after Jazmines’ disappearance.
According to Salaveria’s daughter, Gabreyel, Salaveria was a founding member of Cycling Advocates which promotes bicycling as a sustainable form of transportation.
Salaveria was the first to report the disappearance of James two days after the latter attended his birthday celebration.
Karapatan said that Jazmines and Salaveria are among the 11 cases of disappearances recorded this year under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s administration.
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