📷: Tony La Viña | FB
In a landmark decision hailed as a victory for victims of enforced disappearances, the Court of Appeals has granted the Writ of Amparo to missing indigenous rights advocates Dexter Capuyan and Gene Roz Jamil “Bazoo” De Jesus, formally recognizing them as victims of abduction and pointing to strong indications of State involvement.
Capuyan and De Jesus vanished on April 28, 2023, after being forcibly taken by armed men while riding a tricycle from a mall in Taytay, Rizal.
The Court’s August 12 ruling condemned the Philippine National Police (PNP) for “egregious shortcomings” in its investigation and cited deliberate efforts to conceal key evidence.
Among the most damning revelations: police had located and interviewed the tricycle driver who witnessed the abduction, yet withheld this information from both the petitioners and the Court.
The PNP had attempted to claim the victims left voluntarily, but the witness contradicted this, stating that the men were taken at gunpoint by individuals identifying themselves as members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).
“This marks a significant step in our search for Dexter and Bazoo,” said Atty. Ben Galil Te of La Viña Zarate & Associates (LVZ Law), co-counsel for the victims’ families. “The Court’s decision gives us hope that they may soon be found, assuming the Respondents comply with its orders.”
Atty. Anton Rodriguez, also representing the petitioners, emphasized the gravity of the ruling: “The State failed to discharge its duty to prevent and investigate the disappearance of Bazoo and Dexter. Whether the Respondents faithfully comply with the Court’s firm directives is a matter we will still have to closely monitor—and we will do just that.”
The petition was filed exactly one year ago, on August 14, 2024, by Idda Alexa C. De Jesus, sister of Bazoo, and Gabrielle Chuwaley D. Capuyan, daughter of Dexter. Represented by LVZ Law, the families sought legal protection and accountability for their missing loved ones.
The decision follows a similar ruling in the case of missing activist Felix Salaveria, where the Court also granted the Writs of Amparo and Habeas Data—signaling a growing judicial recognition of the urgency surrounding enforced disappearances.
“We are deeply grateful for the court’s decision,” said Idda De Jesus. “It’s a powerful message that justice, though delayed, will not be denied. This strengthens our resolve in demanding accountability.”
Atty. Te concluded, “We hope the day will soon come when the State’s practice of forcibly disappearing activists with impunity ends—and that all those responsible will finally be brought to justice.” (ZIA LUNA)
