By DOMINIC GUTOMAN
Bulatlat.com
MANILA – Families of disappeared activists Dexter Capuyan and Gene Roz Jamil “Bazoo” De Jesus welcomed the resolution of the Supreme Court (SC) compelling the police and military to provide information and granting a temporary protection order (TPO) for them.
In a joint statement, Mercedita De Jesus and Generoso De Jesus, parents of Bazoo, said that it is a good sign that the SC granted their petition for writs of amparo and habeas data.
“The issuance of Writs of Habeas Data and Amparo from the Supreme Court is important in our ongoing legal battle to know the truth, achieve justice, and to surface Dexter [Capuyan] and Bazoo [De Jesus],” the parents said in Filipino.
The writs of amparo and habeas data are fundamental legal mechanisms aimed to solve extensive extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances in the Philippines. Both writs require the respondents — which in this case are the police, military, and individuals known for red-tagging activists — to show that they did not violate or threaten the right to life, liberty, and security of the aggrieved party. They are also compelled to detail steps or actions taken to determine the fate or whereabouts of the aggrieved party.
The SC ordered high-ranking government officials to provide detailed information under oath about their actions, the data they gathered, and any relevant information concerning the disappearance of Capuyan and De Jesus. The officials include Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief, PGen. Benjamin C. Acorda, Jr.; Director of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) PMGen Romeo M. Camarat, Jr.; Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo S. Brawner; Group Commander of the 1st Civil Relations Group Maj. Al Anthony B. Pueblas; as well as former National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) Spokesperson Lorraine Badoy and Jeffrey Celiz from Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI News Channel).
Read: State forces compelled to give info on 2 missing environmentalists
Gabrielle “Chuwaley” Capuyan, daughter of Dexter, reiterated that the issuance of writs and TPO are positive developments for their ongoing search.
“It is important because we, the families, experienced intimidation and harassment from the elements of Armed Forces of the Philippines because of the environmental advocacy of my father,” said Chuwaley in a statement.
She also added that the experience of harassment that her father was subjected to, has proven that even prior to the disappearance, there is a looming threat to the life of her father [and his family].
In a previous Bulatlat story, Bazoo’s sister Idda de Jesus detailed that her continuous search for her brother and all the disappeared activists endangered her life and livelihood as she experienced harassment and intimidation, including red-tagging. This forced her to stop teaching.
Read: Finding hope in the search for the disappeared
Both families of Bazoo and Dexter expressed their deepest gratitude to the supporters, family members, friends, organizations, lawyers, and the youth who joined them in their search for justice and their missing kin.
“We are hoping that the injustice will come to an end and that our long wait for the return of our child, Bazoo, will soon be over. We continue to pray to the Almighty, believing that the day will come when we will be reunited with those who have been taken from us (disappeared),” said Mercedita and Generoso.
Dexter and Bazoo were abducted in the evening of April 28, 2023 in Taytay, Rizal, by individuals claiming to be members of Philippine National Police (PNP) and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).
Although the Court of Appeals (CA) denied the petition of the families for the writ of habeas corpus, the SC decision reignited hope for the families, legal counsel, and human rights groups.
“The granting of the petitions is a step toward achieving clarity regarding their abduction. We are hopeful that the outcome of the investigation will be more favorable. Above all, this decision has brought renewed strength and hope that we will once again be reunited with our loved ones who were taken from us,” Chuwaley ended. (RTS, RVO)
