“We remain vigilant and steadfast as we go through the legal process and further advance the campaign for William Lariosa’s surfacing.”

CAGAYAN DE ORO — A network composed of families and various organizations demanding to surface a disappeared Mindanao labor organizer welcomed a Supreme Court (SC) resolution requiring the Philippine military to respond to the family’s petition.

In a resolution dated July 8, the SC required the respondents to comment on the petition for review on certiorari filed by the family of William Lariosa, a labor organizer under Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) Southern Mindanao who was abducted in Quezon, Bukidnon, on April 10, 2024.

Read: Eyewitnesses say military involved in abducting labor organizer

The respondents are the commanding officers and elements of the Philippine Army’s Bukidnon-based 48th Infantry Battalion (IB) and the 60th IB, the 10th Infantry Division, and the Eastern Mindanao Command based in the Davao region. Their comments must be filed within 10 days from notice.

“We remain vigilant and steadfast as we go through the legal process and further advance the campaign for William Lariosa’s surfacing,” the Surface William Lariosa Network wrote in a Facebook post.

The Lariosa family appealed their petition to the high court after their petitions for special protective writs, including the writs of habeas corpus, amparo, and habeas data were reportedly denied by the regional trial court due to lack of witnesses and by the Court of Appeals due to insufficient witnesses.

On April 9, the family of the missing labor organizer, together with progressive groups in Southern Mindanao, marked Lariosa’s second year of disappearance with a protest action, renewing their calls to surface him.

Read: After 2 years, son laments continuing disappearance of Mindanao labor organizer

Lariosa is among the 16 human rights defenders, community organizers, civilians, and environmental advocates who have reportedly forcibly disappeared under the Marcos Jr. administration, according to human rights alliance Karapatan. (DAA)