Relatives and the Bayan Muna Party have yet to locate Batangas organizer and campaigner Pauline Joy Banjawan, who is believed to be abducted. Bayan Muna-Southern Tagalog (ST) last contact with her was on April 26. She was believed to be in the Batangas third district at that time.

Banjawan is a Kadamay-Southern Tagalog organizer who campaigns for Bayan Muna. She campaigns across different towns to form chapters in urban poor communities.

Before Banjawan was disappeared, she reported to her fellow volunteers that she was being followed by suspicious individuals. “Her whereabouts have not been known since 3 p.m. (on April 26),” said Bayan Muna ST.

According to the party, soldiers in full battle gear reportedly “increased their presence” in Santo Tomas City, part of the third district, starting the afternoon of April 26. The party suspects this has something to do with Banjawan’s disappearance.

Bayan Muna ST launched a fact-finding mission to locate Banjawan and ensure her safety.

On the morning of April 28, a team of human rights defenders trooped to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group office at Camp Vicente Lim, Canlubang, Laguna to search for her. Her relatives and paralegals also searched for her at Camp Macario Sakay, Los Baños on April 27. Both the soldiers and police denied having the missing Banjawan in their custody.

Bayan Muna second nominee Attorney Carlos Isagani Zarate holds the Marcos administration accountable for Banjawan’s abduction and disappearance.

In recent months, Bayan Muna has been the target of harassment and Red-tagging because of its progressive stances and positions on social issues. The main instigator of this Red-tagging campaign is the National Task Force-Elcac.

The abduction happened a few weeks before the election day on May 12. “We will not be silenced. We will not allow that fear and violence, deter the return of Bayan Muna in Congress as the voice and party of the marginalized sectors,” Zarate declared.

Bayan Muna called for justice for Banjawan’s abduction and for all victims of enforced disappearance. Attorney Zarate challenged the Philippine National Police (PNP) and other government agencies to prioritize the search for Banjawan and ensure her safety. He also called on the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) to conduct an investigation regarding the disappearance of their volunteer.