By SHERWIN DE VERA
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — The Court of Appeals Thirteenth Division granted the habeas corpus plea filed by the families of missing UP Baguio alumni Dexter Capuyan and Gene Roz Jamil De Jesus.

In a July 10 resolution, the court found the petition “sufficient in form and substance, and it appearing from the allegations therein that the Writ ought to issue.” It also ordered the issuance of the writ by the Division Clerk of Court.

The families of missing the two indigenous peoples’ rights advocates filed the petition on July 5. The petitioners were Capuyan’s mother and daughter and De Jesus’ sister. They named Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Andres Centino, Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda, PNP Rizal Provincial Dir. Col. Dominic Baccay and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Chief BGen. Romeo Caramat as respondents.

Human rights groups alleged that armed men, who introduced themselves as CIDG personnel, forcibly took them in Golden City Subdivision in Taytay, Rizal, on the evening of April 28.

The Appellate Court directed the respondents “to appear before this Court and produce and bring the bodies and persons” of the two missing indigenous peoples’ rights advocates before the court on July 14. The CA also told them to “show cause why the subject persons should remain in their custody.”

“Seeing hope”

The court’s decision has given hope to their families of seeing them alive and safe.

“Seventy-six days have passed since my father’s disappearance. 76 days of hurting as my family, despite our efforts, continue to have not the faintest notion of my father’s whereabouts. However, the petition’s approval gives us hope,” said Capuyan’s daughter, Gabrielle.

“With this motion, we seek to surface my father and Bazoo safe and alive. We also continue to assert their rights, and that their dignity and freedom is respected,” she added.

“When we were informed that the Court of Appeals granted the Writ of Habeas Corpus for Bazoo and Dexter, my first thought was that we are halfway towards our journey [of the search]. We see hope,” said De Jesus’ mother, Mercedita, in a July 13 online interview.

She and her husband are overseas workers in Italy.

“I asked for a copy of the court order, and I cried when we read the content. I started hoping again that they would surface the two of them alive,” she added.

Mercedita also thanked all those who continue to support them in their search. She also urged others to persist in fighting for justice. # nordis.net