Nicole Ortiz, sister of 25-year-old Norman Ortiz, said that their family last received a message from her brother late at night on September 28. (Photo by AlterMidya)

Two farmers went missing in Nueva Ecija on September 29. Their alleged abduction brings to 11 the total number of disappearances in a span of 16 months under the Marcos Jr. administration.

By SINAG JOAQUIN
Bulatlat.com

MANILA — Sisters of two farmers who were abducted in a farming community in Brgy. Bantog, Gabaldon, Nueva Ecija were present at the day of remembrance for the disappeared at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Quezon City on Nov. 2, All Soul’s Day.

Nicole Ortiz, sister of 25-year-old Norman Ortiz, said that their family last received a message from her brother late at night on Sept. 28. The next day, Nicole said Norman could not be reached by phone anymore. The Ortiz family has not heard from him as of this writing.

From their hometown in Licab, Nicole and her siblings went to Gabaldon to look for Norman. After talking to witnesses, Nicole learned that her brother and another farmer, 34-year-old Lee Sudario, were forcefully taken to a white van by more than 10 uniformed and armed men in the wee hours of September 29.

“Uniformed men who introduced themselves as those from the army have been frequenting our home in Licab for almost a year now, looking for my brother,” Nicole said in an interview with Bulatlat. It was for this reason, she said, that her family believes it was the military who took Norman and Lee.

Nicole added that her family and that of Lee went to several military camps in Nueva Ecija to search for their missing kin but the armed personnel reportedly denied that Norman and Lee are detained there.

“If the armed forces has a case against my brother, they have to go through the legal process. They should not deny our family the right to know his whereabouts,” Nicole said.

Mary Sudario, Lee’s sister, has a similar demand. “My brother should not be denied his right to defend himself in court,” she said.

Mary, Nicole and their families vow to search for Norman and Lee until they are found and set free.

Norman Ortiz and Lee Sudario bring to 11 the total number of desaparecidos in the Philippines in the 16-month old Marcos Jr. administration, the rights group Karapatan said. (JJE, DAA)