Rights group links gov’t forces to disappearance of another activist
Human rights group Karapatan on Tuesday called on the government to surface environmental advocate Felix Salaveria Jr., the latest activist to go missing days after the sudden disappearance of his friend, James Jazmines.
Based on its own four-day fact-finding probe of the incident, Karapatan said the two cycling enthusiasts who reside in Tabaco City, Albay province, were most likely taken by “state actors” because of the way they were abducted and the history of harassment and surveillance experienced by family members.
Jazmines, an information technology consultant, is a younger brother of former National Democratic Front of the Philippines consultant Alan Jazmines, who was released from political detention in 2016.
His cycling buddy Salaveria was the one who reported his disappearance to Karapatan a day after the former celebrated his 67th birthday on Aug. 23 at a restaurant with Jazmines and other cycling friends.
Salaveria is the founding member of Cycling Advocates as well as of indigenous peoples groups Tunay na Alyansa ng Bayan Alay sa mga Katutubo, or Tabak; and Kabataan para sa Tribung Pilipino, or Katribu.
Also an active ecowaste management advocate, Salaveria manages a community garden in Barangay Cobo, Tabaco City, where he has been living after retirement.
Mission report findings
Salaveria told Karapatan that Jazmines never got home and was instead abducted by a group of men who forced him into a white van at around 10 p.m. Another man, who was trailing the van, took Jazmines’ bike.
Days later, the group learned that Salaveria was abducted by men in civilian clothes on Aug. 28. By evening, witnesses saw uniformed police officers entering Salaveria’s house to get his personal belongings, such as laptop and cellphone, supposedly for “safekeeping.”
“The speed with which the uniformed policemen arrived after the abduction points to the distinct possibility that the abduction and the seizure of Salaveria’s belongings are parts of the same State-sponsored operation against him,” Karapatan said in its “quick reaction mission” report.
“Salaveria had likely been rendered vulnerable after he began inquiries on James’ whereabouts and reported his disappearance to Karapatan,” it added. INQ
