The families of James Jazmines and Felix Salaveria Jr, along with their lawyers, filed a petition for a writ of amparo and habeas data with the Supreme Court on November 14. Salaveria, 66, was abducted on August 28, while Jazmines was disappeared by state agents on August 23, both in Tabaco City, Albay.

The writ of amparo is a legal remedy for individuals whose rights to life, liberty, and security have been violated or are under threat of “unlawful action or inaction by a public official or employee, or by a private individual or entity.”

A petition upheld by the court will provide temporary protection to the children and relatives of the victims. The court will also prohibit the named respondents in the petition from approaching them within one kilometer.

Meanwhile, the writ of habeas data will compel state forces to disclose all information they possess regarding the abducted individuals.

The petition filed by the families of Jazmines and Salaveria Jr named as respondents Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Francisco D. Marbil, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Romeo S. Brawner, CIDG Director PBGen. Nicolas D. Torre III, Regional Office V Police Regional Director PBGen. Andre Perez Dizon, Albay Police Provincial Director PCol. Julius C. Añonuevo, CIDG Regional Field Unit 5 Chief PCol. Ivy Castillo, and Tabaco City Police Station Chief PLt. Col. Edmundo A. Cerillo (OIC). For the first time, Ferdinand Marcos Jr and Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin were also specifically named in the petition.

The families said they filed the petition because they have exhausted all possible means to locate the abducted activists. This includes visiting military camps and police stations.

Investigation by lawyers and human rights groups uncovered a CCTV video showing men abducting Salaveria while some men (in motorcycles) serving as back-ups. They are convinced that the abduction was systematic and organized, carried out by state forces. The manner of the abduction is similar to other cases of activists and human rights defenders.

“Marcos Jr cannot remain silent and wash his hands of all these abductions,” Karapatan second secretary general Atty. Maria Sol Taule said. She added that the enforced disappearances are clearly carried out according to the policies of the Marcos regime.