Nolcom mum about the disappearance 2 Cordillera activists

Activists hold a protest in front of Camp Servillano Aquino June 7 to demand the military to surface Dexter Capuyan and Gene Roz Jamil "Bazoo" dela Cruz.

By EMILY VITAL

Bulatlat.com

MANILA — In search of Cordillera activists Dexter Capuyan and Gene Roz Jamil “Bazoo” de Jesus, relatives and colleagues of the two missing activists went to Camp Servillano Aquino, headquarters of the Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom) in Tarlac City, Tarlac, today June 7.

Eli Capuyan, Dexter’s younger brother, expressed dismay that the Nolcom neither denied nor confirmed having custody of his brother and Bazoo, refusing to answer the “desap form.” Section 8 of the Republic Act 10353 or the Anti-Disappearance Act states that the police or military or any state agency shall issue a certification in writing to the inquiring person or entity on the presence or absence and/or information on the whereabouts of a disappeared person.

Activists hold a protest in front of Camp Servillano Aquino June 7 to demand the military to surface Dexter Capuyan and Gene Roz Jamil "Bazoo" dela Cruz. Eli told Bulatlat that Major Anthony Pueblas, Nolcom spokesperson, refused to receive the said form. Eli said Pueblas asked them for a letter of endorsement from any government agency before Nolcom can answer the form.

“It is frustrating that government agencies are violating RA 10353. We just want to know if our loved ones are in the custody of Nolcom or not,” Eli said in Filipino. “It’s been 40 days since the two went missing.”

Dexter and Bazoo have been missing since April 28. They were last seen in Taytay, Rizal.

“Whoever arrested my brother and Bazoo, please surface them. We, the families, need to know that they are safe,” Eli said.

Activists hold a protest in front of Camp Servillano Aquino June 7 to demand the military to surface Dexter Capuyan and Gene Roz Jamil "Bazoo" dela Cruz. In a statement, the Cordillera Human Rights Alliance (CHRA) said that their search operations in police and military camps have been frustrating. “None of them provided information and even failed or refused to accomplish the forms provided by the families and the legal team pursuant to RA 10353,” said CHRA Spokesperson Caselle Ton.

According to CHRA, the abduction of Dexter and Bazoo is the second incident of enforced disappearance relating to the Cordillera region under the Marcos Jr. administration. In August 2022, indigenous peoples activist Steve Tauli was abducted and then released a day after in a state of shock and distress. (https://www.bulatlat.org)

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