Three years after the enforced disappearance of National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) peace consultant for the Southern Mindanao Region (SMR) Ariel Badiang, human rights groups reiterated the demand for the Marcos regime to surface him. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Eastern Mindanao Command abducted Badiang in Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon on February 6, 2023.

According to Karapatan-SMR, the AFP and Philippine National Police (PNP) must stop their charade and denial of knowledge and responsibility for Badiang’s disappearance. The group condemned the Marcos regime’s use of abduction as a tactic to intimidate and suppress the people’s resistance.

As NDFP peace consultant, Badiang should have been protected from attack by the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) armed forces. Negotiators and consultants like him are guaranteed protection under the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG).

The enforced disappearance of Badiang is also a clear violation of international humanitarian law (IHL), the group asserted. It called on the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Commission on Human Rights (CHR) of the Philippines to hold the AFP accountable for this violation.

At least 19 were victims of enforced disappearance under the US-Marcos regime. Ang Bayan recorded that state forces have abducted nearly 300 people. Some were later surfaced dead, while others were detained on criminal charges or falsely presented as “surrendered” and “former rebels.”