ILOILO City — Eighteen years since the abduction of activist leaders Luisa Posa-Dominado and Nilo Arado, their families and human rights defenders in Panay Island are still demanding answers, as they marked the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances with a call to end what they described as a continuing state policy of silencing dissent.
Human rights alliance Panay Alliance-Karapatan led the commemoration on August 30, underscoring that the disappearance of Posa-Dominado and Arado remains one of the region’s deepest wounds — an unresolved case that continues to symbolize the pain, fear, and injustice wrought by enforced disappearances.
“Here in Panay, we have been crying for justice for Luisa Posa-Dominado and Nilo Arado, abducted 18 years ago,” the group said, noting how their case unfolded at nearly the same time activist Jonas Burgos was taken in Metro Manila. “The pain, loss, and helplessness of families and loved ones linger with no means for them to move on.”
Dominado and Arado were abducted by armed individuals on the night of April 12, 2007 in Barangay Cabanbanan, Oton, Iloilo while returning home from Antique.
Dominado served as the spokesperson for Panay Island’s Samahan ng mga Ex-detainee Laban sa Detensyon at Aresto (Selda) while Arado was the chairperson of Paghugpong sang mga Mangunguma sa Panay kag Guimaras (Pamanggas).
Karapatan stressed that enforced disappearance is “a most cruel kind of human rights violation,” one that not only targets individuals but also seeks to terrorize entire communities. Historical records from rights groups reveal that the practice cuts across administrations — from nearly 1,000 desaparecidos during the Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr. dictatorship to 821 under Corazon Aquino, 39 under Fidel Ramos’ term, 26 under the Joseph Estrada administration, 206 during Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s term, 29 during Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino’s administration, and at least 20 under Rodrigo Duterte’s presidency.
The group highlighted that enforced disappearances persist today, pointing to the cases of missing community organizers Dexter Capuyan and Bazoo De Jesus, both University of the Philippines Baguio alumni, and activists James Jasmines and Felix Salaveria Jr., abducted in Albay last year. A recent Court of Appeals ruling granting a writ of amparo for Capuyan and De Jesus has given families a measure of hope that legal remedies could force accountability.
Karapatan also lamented how Republic Act 10353, or the Anti-Enforced or Involuntary Disappearance Act of 2012, has been “blatantly disregarded by the military,” despite its clear prohibition of such abductions.
Beyond the courts, the group pointed to how public consciousness is slowly being stirred. The documentary “Alipato at Moog”, which tackled the case of Jonas Burgos, recently won Best Picture at the FAMAS Awards — a recognition that Karapatan said reflects growing sympathy for victims and disdain for state-perpetrated atrocities.
Still, the alliance warned that laws and cultural recognition are not enough without collective action. “Only a strong and persistent opposition of the people will effectively pressure authorities to respect human rights,” Karapatan said.
Their call was unambiguous: “Surface all desaparecidos! Stop enforced disappearances! Respect human rights!”/PN
