Jonas' mom files habeas corpus plea before SC

The mother of abducted activist Jonas Joseph Burgos on Wednesday filed a petition for writ of habeas corpus urging the Supreme Court to order President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Armed Forces chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr and five other military officers led by Major General Delfin Bangit, chief of the Intelligence Service of the AFP, to produce before the court her son who was abducted on April 28 in Quezon City. Edita T. Burgos, through counsels Pacifico Agabin, Ricardo Fernandez and Ma. Verena Kasilag-Villanueva, asked the high tribunal "to order the military to produce (my) son, or release him from arbitrary detention." "Should the respondents be unable to produce or release him, it is prayed that this Honorable Court will order respondents to find out who caused the enforced disappearance of her son, who ordered his abduction, to bring to justice those responsible for such crime," she added. Other respondents to the case are Philippine Army chief Lt. General Romeo Tolentino, Major Gen. Juanito Gomez, Lt. Col. Noel Clement, Lt. Melquiades Feliciano. Mrs Burgos included President Arroyo in the list of respondents, “as commander-in-chief (of the AFP)" whom she said is also tasked to "investigate who among the other respondents have command responsibility for the enforced disappearance" of her son. Mrs Burgos, also asked the high tribunal to order the Philippine National Police, under Director General Oscar Calderon, to continue its probe of the abduction and file case against those found responsible for the crime. On Monday, Presidential Task Force Against Media Harassment identified six soldiers believed to be linked in the abduction of 37-year-old activist from San Miguel Bulacan. Emmanuel Velasco, task force chairman and senior state prosecutor, said the six military men will be summoned by the National Bureau of Investigation to shed light on Burgos’ abduction. He identified them as T/Sgt. Jason Roxas, Corporal Maria Joanna Francisco and M/Sgt. Aaron Arroyo and a certain TL, who are all from the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. The two others are First Lt. Jaime Mendaros and Lt. Col. Clement of the 56th Infantry Battalion. The task force, according to the report, also wants to know if the soldiers are linked to the abduction of the five supporters of former President Joseph Estrada or the so-called "Erap 5". - GMANews.TV