SC grants protection writs for missing activist
The Supreme Court (SC) has issued writs of amparo and habeas data in favor of activist Felix Salaveria Jr., who has been missing since August last year.
In a resolution dated Dec. 13, 2024, but made public on Wednesday, the high tribunal also directed the Court of Appeals to look into the petition filed by Salaveria’s daughters in November.
A writ of amparo is a judicial order of protection for individuals whose constitutional rights appear to have been violated.
A writ of habeas data, on the other hand, orders the respondents in the plea to present in court any information they may have on the subject of the writ.
The respondents in the petition were Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, Philippine National Police chief Gen. Rommel Marbil, Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Romeo Brawner, PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Director Nicolas Torre III, as well as various police officials in Albay province, where Salaveria disappeared.
The high court also ordered the chief of Tabaco City Police Station, Lt. Col. Edmundo Cerillo Jr., to make a verified return on the writ of habeas data.
Compliance rules
Under rules specified by the Supreme Court in 2007, the respondents must return the writs to the court within a specified time period and specify the steps taken to comply with the orders, excluding reasons that justices may deem to be alibis.
The writs of amparo and habeas data were promulgated in 2007, precisely against alibis that were used to dodge substantive compliance with writs of habeas corpus.
It was not clear whether the respondents have returned the writs of amparo and habeas data to the appellate court as required, but the rights group Karapatan released a statement on Wednesday saying Salaveria’s daughters remained concerned for their father.
According to the statement, Salaveria’s daughters, Felicia and Gabreyel, welcomed the court’s order and were “hopeful” that the appeals court “will act quickly” to enforce the orders.
“The Salaveria sisters have been working tirelessly to find their father. They have filed a police report, contacted the Commission on Human Rights and reached out to the international community. They have also created a Facebook page to raise awareness of their father’s case,” said Karapatan.
“The sisters are deeply concerned about their father’s well-being and continue to do everything they can to find him,” it added.
Salaveria went missing on Aug. 28, 2024, in Tabaco City, Albay, and his daughters have accused state security forces of being behind the disappearance.
Their lawyer Tony La Viña earlier described the abduction as a “professional operation” that could only be conducted by state forces.
Salaveria is a founding member of indigenous rights groups Tunay na Alyansa ng Bayan Alay sa mga Katutubo and Kabataan para sa Tribung Pilipino.
