State forces were compelled to release two Cebuano activists on January 16 after calls for them to be surfaced snowballed. Dyan Gumanao and Armand Dayoha were forced into a waiting van by men who identified themselves as police officers at a port of Cebu on January 10 at noon in front of numerous witnesses. They were taken to a safehouse where they were subjected to psychological torture. They were dropped on January 16 at a resort in the town of Carmen after the family released photos of their abduction.

Gumanao is the coordinator of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers for Region 7 while Dayoha is a volunteer for a Cebu chapter of the Alliance of Health Workers. Both graduated from the University of the Philippines-Cebu.

In a video taken by a witness, the two can be seen being forced into a gray-colored SUV parked on the part of the port where private vehicles are not allowed. Before this video surfaced, port officials, police and the crew of the ship denied knowledge of a “kidnapping incident” in the area that day. The family and human rights groups are calling for an independent investigation into the abduction, to look into the involvement not only of the police, but also of the port and its personnel.

Killing. On the neighboring island of Negros, the military killed two farmers and attempted to kill another in the past two weeks. As in other cases, the military claimed the victims died in encounters with NPA units.

In Guihulngan City, soldiers of the 62nd IB killed Orlando Fat in Sitio Banderahan, Barangay Trinidad on January 10. They attempted to kill Rodrigo Pasinabo in Sityo Cambaogon on January 15.

These are part of the large-scale combat operation of the 62nd IB in the border barangays of Guihulngan City, Canlaon City and Moises Padilla.

In Himamaylan City, soldiers of the 94th IB killed 49-year-old farmer Jose Gonzalez in Purok Maliko-liko, Sityo Cunalom, Barangay Carabalan on January 9.