Edith Burgos, an 81-year-old member of the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites and mother of Jonas Burgos, a missing peasant activist, offers flowers to her son’s photo in the absence of a tomb, a reminder of the ongoing search for truth and justice in his disappearance. Photo by Mark Saludes
With no graves to mourn at, families of desaparecidos rallied at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani on All Souls’ Day in the Philippines to honor their missing loved ones and renew calls for justice and accountability.
The families of Desaparecidos, along with advocates for victims of enforced disappearances, called on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to account for the 14 individuals reportedly abducted under his administration.
“We demand the surfacing of the 1,894 documented victims of enforced disappearance since the regime of Marcos Sr.,” said Edita Burgos, whose son Jonas was abducted in 2007.
Burgos, an 81-year-old member of the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites, emphasized that the gathering is a “stark reminder of the state’s failure to prevent this grave violation and to protect the human rights of its people.”
Republic Act No. 10353, enacted in 2012, criminalizes enforced disappearance and mandates state security forces to account for missing persons and provide families with information.
However, families say these requirements still need to be fulfilled, accusing law enforcement of disregarding clear obligations under the law.
Linda Cadapan, whose daughter Sherlyn disappeared in 2006 along with fellow activist Karen Empeño, recounted a recent experience in Bicol, where families sought information on the disappearances of James Jazmines and Felix Salaveria Jr.
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“Search teams who went to Bicol to look for James Jazmines and Felix Salaveria Jr. were met with indifference from police officers despite their awareness of the abductions,” said Cadapan.
Despite existing evidence and available leads, the Tabaco City police has not yet taken steps to investigate or assist in resolving these cases, she added.
Relatives presented CCTV footage and eyewitness accounts that, they allege, corroborate the abductions.
The footage shows Salaveria Jr. being taken by force into a white van in broad daylight on August 28, 2024.
Witnesses also reported seeing Jazmines abducted on August 23, with additional CCTV footage showing suspicious vehicles at the scene.
Bileth Batralo, whose brother Cesar is among the disappeared, urged the government and security agencies to “open all military camps and declare and disclose the locations of secret detention centers, as mandated by law, to the families of victims.”
The 14 missing individuals cited by families include Elgene Mungcal, Ma. Elena Pampoza, Renel delos Santos, Denald Laloy Mialen, Lyn Grace Martullinas, Dexter Capuyan, Gene Roz Jamil de Jesus, Deah Lopez, Mariano Solongbayan, Lee Sudario, Norman Ortiz, William Lariosa, James Jazmines and Felix Salaveria Jr.
These cases are the latest in a long history of disappearances in the Philippines, adding to fears about state accountability under the Marcos administration.
As a sign of solidarity and remembrance, families hung shirts marked with the letters “S-U-R-F-A-C-E” at the event. They also shared poems and letters for their missing loved ones, concluding the program with flowers and candles as a tribute.
“Each year, we come together with heavy hearts but with undying hope that we will one day find them, and that candles will be lit and flowers offered at their resting places,” said Cadapan.
All photos by Mark Z. Saludes/LiCAS.News
Families and supporters of Desaparecidos stand in solidarity at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani, holding photos of their missing loved ones during a memorial on All Souls’ Day. In front of them, a display of portraits, flowers, and candles honored those who have been forcibly disappeared, symbolizing both remembrance and the ongoing demand for justice. The gathering called for the surfacing of all Desaparecidos and an end to enforced disappearances in the Philippines, echoing a collective plea for truth and accountability. Photo by Mark SaludesEdith Burgos, an 81-year-old member of the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites and mother of Jonas Burgos, a missing peasant activist, offers flowers to her son’s photo in the absence of a tomb, a reminder of the ongoing search for truth and justice in his disappearance. Photo by Mark SaludesA poster bearing the image of Jonas Joseph Burgos, a missing peasant activist abducted in April 2007, lies on the ground surrounded by flowers and a lit candle at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani. Photo by Mark SaludesAt the Bantayog ng mga Bayani, families of desaparecidos lay flowers and light candles beside photos of their missing loved ones, turning the ground into a temporary memorial on All Souls’ Day. Photo by Mark SaludesJL Burgos, brother of Jonas Burgos and director of the documentary film Alipato at Muog, speaks at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani, holding a portrait of his missing brother. Alipato at Muog chronicles the story of Jonas’s disappearance and the ongoing search for justice. Photo by Mark SaludesSurvivors of abductions Eco Dangla, Jonila Castro, and Jhed Tamano read a poem at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani during a gathering on All Souls’ Day to call for the end of enforced disappearances. Photo by Mark SaludesRowena Dasig, a survivor of an alleged state-sponsored abduction, speaks at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani during a gathering on All Souls’ Day. Dasig joined other survivors and families of desaparecidos in calling for justice, accountability, and an end to enforced disappearances in the Philippines. Photo by Mark SaludesThrough the lens of a video camera, a woman is seen reading a message for a missing loved one during a gathering at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani. Families of Desaparecidos assembled to commemorate All Souls’ Day, calling for justice and the surfacing of victims of enforced disappearances. Photo by Mark SaludesSurvivors of abductions Jhed Tamano, Jonila Castro, Rowena Dasig, Eco Dangla, and Raymond Manalo stand together with raised fists at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani. The gathering, held on All Souls’ Day, demanded justice, accountability, the surfacing of all desaparecidos, and an end to enforced disappearances in the Philippines. Photo by Mark SaludesA child and an elder light a candle together beside a memorial for a Desaparecido at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani. Photo by Mark SaludesA woman sits beside a photo of a missing loved one, surrounded by flowers and candles, at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani. The images of victims of enforced disappearances are lined as families gather on All Souls’ Day to remember those who vanished without a trace. Photo by Mark SaludesAttendees sit beneath a banner that reads “SURFACE ALL DESAPARECIDOS!” during a gathering at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani organized by Karapatan on All Souls’ Day. The event brought together families and supporters of Desaparecidos, demanding the government take responsibility and reveal the fate of those who were forcibly disappeared. Photo by Mark SaludesActivists hold portraits of victims of enforced disappearances at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani on All Souls’ Day. The activists, carrying images of Dexter Capuyan, James Balao, Jonas Burgos, and Bazoo de Jesus, demand justice and the surfacing of those who vanished, as they continue to seek answers and accountability for the enforced disappearances under various administrations. Photo by Mark SaludesA woman pauses to touch the photo of a missing loved one displayed among dozens of images of victims of enforced disappearances at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani. Families of the desaparecidos gathered on All Souls’ Day to honor their missing relatives and demand justice, urging the government to account for those abducted and still missing, many since the Marcos Sr. era. Photo by Mark Saludes
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