A human rights group lost contact to a team of 75 activists.
75 ACTIVISTS – Human rights group Karapatan claims that they can no longer communicate to 75 activists who went to Antipolo City, Rizal for a mission.
Based on a recent news report in Rappler, Karapatan claimed that the team of activists went to Antipolo City, Rizal to probe about the killings of the two Dumagat farmers but they can no longer contact them.
“We are unable to contact the members of the mission, as of this time. Members of mission were supposed to look into reports of killing of two Dumagat farmers, in the course of the 2nd Infantry Division’s operations in the community,” Kapitan Secretary General Cristina Palabay said.
According to the report, Karapatan expressed on Friday eve that the 75 activists were “held captives by elements of the 80th Infantry Batallion of the Philippine Army”.
Meanwhile, the military put down the allegation that the individuals were held captive. Based on the report, the commander of the 80th Infantry Batallion, Lieutenant Col. Randolph Cabangbang, put down the accusation that the activists were being held as captives by his people in Barangay Calawis.
According to the news report, the human rights group reported the incident the following day after the soldiers had an encounter with the communist rebels.