Two cases of abduction of mass leaders from Southern Tagalog were recorded in the past two weeks. In addition, soldiers and police also committed human rights violations in Isabela, Quezon, and Metro Manila.

In Batangas, state forces abducted Pauline Joy Banjawan, an organizer of Kadamay-Southern Tagalog who was campaigning for Bayan Muna, on April 26. Two days after her disappearance, she was located at the police station in Santo Tomas, Batangas.

It was determined that the 59th IB abducted her, subjected her to a day of torture before being turned her over to the police. Banjawan was charged with illegal possession of firearms and explosives.

In Rizal, 80th IB soldiers nabbed and detained farmer Jonathan del Castello on the night of April 27 in Tanay. The victim said the soldiers interrogated and threatened him with death. He was accused of bringing food to the New People’s Army (NPA) when he was apprehended. The 80th IB released him only at dawn on April 28.

Strafing. In Isabela, 502nd IBde elements fired at five national minority Ifugao while they were fishing on April 21 in Sitio Sapiot, Barangay Tappa, San Mariano. Three of the civilians immediately returned home safely while the other two are yet to be located. The 86th IB also indiscriminately fired their weapons in Barangay Dicamay Dos, Jones on April 20.

Militarization. In Quezon, not less than 2,000 2nd ID soldiers were deployed for focused military operations (FMO) in four barangays of Lopez starting April 21. The military and police set up numerous checkpoints that hindered the livelihood, farming, and free movement of residents. Everyone passing through the checkpoints were required to show their community tax certificate.

Harassment. Gordon Mutch, an American belonging to the Baltimore Committee for Human Rights in Philippine (BaltCHRP), was barred at the airport and denied entry to the Philippines on April 26. Mutch went to the Philippines to observe the 2025 elections and witness the situation of Filipinos under the Marcos regime. The Philippine Bureau of Immigration detained him for four hours then deported him to the US for his “anti-government activities.”