The families, human rights groups and supporters of activists Felix Salaveria Jr and James Jazmines gathered in Legazpi City, Albay on March 1 to again demand the Marcos regime for their immediate safe surfacing. The 66-year-old Salaveria was abducted by state forces on August 28, 2024 while Jazmines was picked up on August 23, 2024, both in Tabaco City.

That afternoon, the victims’ relatives attended a mass at St. John the Baptist Church in Tabaco City to inform Bicolanos and fellow Filipinos about the events surrounding the two desaparecidos and their families. They also called for support at a mass at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Paranaque City on February 23. They stated that after six months, they still have no information on the whereabouts of the victims.

On February 28, Salaveria’s relatives appeared before the Court of Appeals to testify on the forced disappearance of the two. This is related to their filed petition for writ of amparo and habeas data naming high-ranking police and military officials as respondents.

Karapatan deputy secretary general Atty. Maria Sol Taule said the Office of the Solicitor General tried to obscure the state’s accountability for the crime by questioning Salaveria’s identity, IDs and birth certificate.

Karapatan shared that during the hearing, not a single government agency involved in the investigation approached the Salaveria family to report on the progress of the case. This is despite the state’s announcement of creating a team for a special investigation of the case.

“State agencies are obviously playing a waiting game,” Atty. Taule said. She said that the Marcos regime is hoping that in the course of time, the issue of Jazmines and Salaveria’s disappearances would blow over, and state forces would forever evade accountability.

However, the lawyer stood firm that the regime is mistaken in thinking of that outcome. “They underestimate the tenacity of the Salaveria and Jazmines families and other kin of the disappeared,” Atty. Taule said.

She said, the families of the desaparecidos will not waver until they get answers that will give them justice and hold accountable those involved in the heinous crime of forced disappearances.