SC issues writ of amparo in favor of missing activists

The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued a writ of amparo in favor of missing activists Elizabeth "Loi" Magbanua and Alipio "Ador" Juat.

During the en banc session, the High Court referred the petition in G.R. No. 262026 to the Court of Appeals to summarily hear it on August 30 and decide the case within 10 days after its submission for decision.

The petition was filed by Magbanua’s partner Ruth Manglalan and niece Alyssa Marie Magbanua, together with Juat’s daughter Maureen Juat.

They claimed that Magbanua and Juat's rights to life, liberty, and security have been violated on account of their disappearance.

The SC also ordered respondents Lieutenant General Bartolome Vicente Baccaro, in his capacity as chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP); retired general Jose Faustino Jr., in his capacity as officer-in-charge of the Department of National Defense; retired general Ricardo de Leon, in his capacity as the director general of the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency; Lieutenant General Romeo Brawner Jr., in his capacity as the commanding general of the Philippine Army; Major General Roy Galido, in his capacity as the acting chief of staff of the Philippine Army; Major General Romulo Manuel, in his capacity as the deputy chief of staff for intelligence of the AFP; and Brigadier General Nolasco Mempin, in his capacity as the deputy chief of staff for civil military operations to make verified return of the writ of amparo.

They were also ordered to file a comment to the petition before the Court of Appeals within 72 hours after its service.

“As prayed for by the petitioners, the Court likewise granted a temporary protection order and prohibited the respondents from going within a radius of one kilometer of the petitioners and their immediate family,” the SC said.

The SC said the rule on the writ of amparo was adopted by the court on October 24, 2007, as a result of the two-day National Consultative Summit on Extrajudicial Killings and Enforced Disappearances held on July 16 to 17, 2007.

“The rule is intended to address the pernicious problems of ‘extralegal killings’ and ‘enforced disappearances’ and serves both preventive and curative roles in addressing these issues,” it added.

Last August 10, progressive groups Gabriela and Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) asked the Supreme Court to issue a writ of amparo in favor of two labor organizers who have been alleged victims of extrajudicial arrest and detention.

They also asked the High Court to issue an order of inspection to allow the petitioners, their lawyers, the Commission on Human Rights, and health or medical workers to inspect the premises of Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City and Fort Magsaysay to search for the missing labor organizers.—Richa Noriega/AOL, GMA News