SC issues writ of amparo for missing activists  

MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court (SC) has given the Department of National Defense (DND), the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) 72 hours to give their comment on the alleged disappearance of two activists last May 3.

In a statement, the SC said that in its full court session yesterday, it granted the petition for a writ of amparo or an order of protection filed by the families of activists Elizabeth Magbanua and Alipio Juat, who were reportedly taken by the military in Valenzuela.

Magbanua and Juat are members of the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU).

Respondents in the petition were AFP Chief of Staff Lt. General Bartolome Vicente Bacarro, DND officer-in-charge Jose Faustino Jr., NICA director general Ricardo de Leon, Army commanding general Lt. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr.; Army acting chief of staff Maj. Gen. Roy Galido, Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence of the AFP Maj. Gen. Romulo Manuel and Deputy Chief of Staff for Civil Military Operations Brig. Gen. Nolasco Mempin.

The SC had referred the petition to the Court of Appeals (CA) for a hearing on Aug. 30.

The High Court also instructed the CA to decide on the case within 10 days after receiving it.

The petition was filed by Magbanua’s partner Ruth Manglalan and her niece Alyssa Marie, and Juat’s daughter Maureen.

The SC also granted their petition for a temporary protection order prohibiting the respondents from getting within a radius of one kilometer of the petitioners and their immediate families.