Officials of the anti-communist task force expressed feelings of “betrayal” and “hoodwinking” when the two missing environment activists in Bataan contradicted their version of events. However, there are numerous inconsistencies in the activists’ account of leaving the communist movement and voluntarily surrendering to the military in Bulacan. Jhed Tamano and Jonila Castro surprised their handlers during a press conference organized by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac) by refuting the military’s narrative of their surrender. Lt. Col. Ronnel dela Cruz, commander of the 70th Infantry Battalion (IB), NTF-Elcac Director Alexander Umpar, and spokesperson Joel Egco were present at the press event. Castro stated, “The truth is, the military forced us into a van. We were forced to say we surrendered because our lives were being threatened. It is also not true that we wanted to be in military custody. The contents of the affidavits are not true because those were done and signed while we were in the military camp. We had no choice at that point.” Castro further added, “We were blindfolded. Our arms were tied. We and our families were threatened. We were interrogated. I deny what we have signed in that affidavit. They are the ones who made up the stories in that affidavit.” Additionally, the activists confirmed a witness’s statement that a pair of slippers and a sandal were found in the area where the abduction allegedly occurred. Despite threats of perjury charges against the activists, the public is inclined to believe the women’s honest account. If they were indeed detained inside a military camp without access to their families or legal representation, would they genuinely have had the option to refuse signing the government-prepared affidavits? The supposed presence of lawyers from the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) does not guarantee that their rights were upheld. It is worth noting that in the case of former senator Leila de Lima, PAO lawyers prepared an affidavit that connected her to drug deals in prison, which the signatory later recanted, citing coercion from the then Justice Secretary. The military-NTF-Elcac’s account of the alleged surrender lacks transparency and a detailed timeline. Although there were witnesses to the abduction and purported CCTV footage of the abductors, there has been no progress in locating them. Furthermore, why would the activists travel from Bataan to Bulacan to surrender? The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) denounced the reported abduction and initiated its own investigation, but the search across military camps and police detention facilities in various provinces yielded no results. If the two women surrendered to the 70th IB on September 12, why did it take a full week for the military to present them in the press conference? What occurred during their time in military custody? Since they had limited communication for at least a week, how could they have informed the communist movement to disrupt the government’s planned press briefing? It is difficult to believe that the military, police, and NTF-Elcac, with their vast resources, fell victim to an “elaborate hoax” orchestrated by the activists opposing reclamation activities in Manila Bay’s coastal areas. Given the suspicious circumstances, it seems more plausible that the two activists displayed bravery by seizing the opportunity to reveal the truth. The CHR must now continue its investigation into this case with the same courage and determination, as the implications are grave if the activists’ claims are proven true. The military, in collaboration with the NTF-Elcac, known for Red-tagging individuals with causes or advocacies, stands accused of serious crimes such as abduction, illegal detention, and coercion, all in direct contradiction to their duty of protecting the people, the state, and the fundamental rights of citizens in a democracy. The military’s history of involvement or suspicion in previous cases of activist disappearances only heightens concerns in this latest instance. Although Castro and Tamano have been released and reunited with their families, this does not absolve their abductors. The Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Department of National Defense must allow a thorough investigation, even if it results in further embarrassment and scrutiny for their ranks.
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