The families, friends and lawyers of the two abducted activists, Felix Salaveria Jr and James Jazmines, disclosed the photos and CCTV footage of their abduction on September 23. Their lawyer, Atty. Tony La Viña, said the videos and photos obtained clearly show that “professionals” abducted the two.

“The manner of the abduction (of Salaveria) on August 28 and the capture of James Jazmines five days earlier are indications that state forces were involved,” Atty. La Vina said.

In an August 29 video, Salaveria can be seen walking along a major road in Brgy. Cobo, Tabaco City, Albay. A Toyota van with plate number VAA5504 shortly came and stopped beside him. Some men in civilian clothes came out, grabbed him and forced him into the vehicle, and sped away just a few moments later. The family suspects that men on motorcycles following the van were involved in the operation. The abduction was carried out at around 11 in the morning, amid a lot of bystanders.

On August 23, a Toyota van with plate number NDR5274 was also seen entering Barangay San Lorenzo, Tabaco City, Albay at around 10 pm, where James Jazmines was abducted. The van left the barangay at 10:16, followed by a black Hilux pick-up, a gray Avanza car and another gray Innova car.

Human rights groups’ investigation of the plate numbers revealed they were registered to another vehicle.

“Everything was very organized,” Cristina Palabay, Karapatan secretary general, said. From the “look outs”, the large number of vehicles, the convoy and so on. “It is very similar to other cases of abduction and disappearance of activists,” she said.

The family is asking to propagate the videos and photos and is appealing to anyone with additional information regarding the abductors of the two.

They, especially the children of Salaveria, were disappointed at the slow progress of the search for their missing fathers. The police seem to see no urgency to search, they said, despite CCTV footage clearly showing the crime committed against Salaveria.

Salaveria and Jazmines are both activists with a long record of serving the people. Salaveria is one of the founders of the Tunay na Alyansa ng Bayan Alay sa mga Katutubo, Kabataan para sa Tribung Pilipino, and Cycling Advocates (CYCAD). Jazmines was a member of the League of Filipino Students during his youth. He also served as Kilusang Mayo Uno as its information officer.

Ang Bayan has already recorded 153 abduction victims under the Marcos regime, at least 43 of them remain missing to date.