On the traditional All Souls’ Day, human rights groups, families, and friends remembered anew the activists and human rights defenders forcibly disappeared by the reactionary state.

Karapatan–Southern Mindanao Region remembered at least seven desaparecidos from the region—three under the Duterte regime and four under the current Marcos regime. The group demanded the immediate surfacing of the seven and accountability from the state perpetrators.

Karapatan–SMR identified those disappeared and yet to be surfaced as “Sunny” Loyola; NDFP consultant Ariel Badiang (last seen on February 6, 2023, in Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon); Karapatan former secretary general, Hanimay Suazo (last seen on November 2, 2019, in Panabo City); William Lariosa (last seen on April 10, 2024, in Quezon, Bukidnon); wounded Red fighter “Anna” (last seen in December 2021 in Davao de Oro); Ruel Villanueva Jr.; and Cyril Montero (both last seen on May 16, 2024, in Bukidnon).

“Today, we reiterate the call to stop enforced disappearances and to surface all desaparecidos,” the group said. They added that state forces, especially the Philippine Army and its accomplices, must respond to the demands of the families and friends to reveal where the victims are.

Meanwhile, relatives of enforced disappearance victims attended mass at Santo Domingo Church today. They offered flowers and lit candles in the church as they have no graves to visit.

“While millions of Filipinos visit cemeteries to honor departed relatives, the families of the disappeared continue to search—without graves to visit, without answers, and without justice,” Desaparecidos said. They commemorate annually on All Souls’ Day.

Under the current Marcos regime, state forces have disappeared at least 17 people. They add to the 1,900 forcibly disappeared under the dictatorship of Marcos Sr.

“Remembrance is an act of resistance,” Desaparecidos chairperson and brother of enforced disappearance victim Jonas Burgos JL Burgos said. “The hardest part is the uncertainty. You wake up every day wondering where your loved one is—if they’re hungry, hurt, or worse, dead.”

Many families have been searching for decades, filing cases that make no progress, continuing to hope that their loved ones are still alive and will be returned to them.

“For us, All Souls’ Day is also for those who were stolen from us and never returned. We will not stop until every desaparecido is surfaced and every perpetrator is brought to justice,” Burgos declared.