Philippines: Urban Poor Leader Abducted in Cavite

Apr. 04, 2007

MANILA — The Families of Desaparecidos for Justice
(DESAPARECIDOS) condemned the abduction of a woman
urban poor leader in Dasmarias, Cavite this afternoon
as another handiwork of state security forces.

The latest victim of enforced disappearance is Lourdes
Lubrico, who is in her sixties, and the chairperson of
Umaga Federation Samahan ng Maralita. Lubrico had
just attended the mass action dubbed Kalbaryo ng
Mamamayan sa Lalawigan ng Cavite where she was one of
the speakers. She was waiting for a jeepney ride home
at about 3 pm at Brgy. Sta.Cruz 1 when she was taken
by armed men and forced into a maroon van.

Witnesses reported that the van had the plate number
XRR-428.

The Lubrico family and local human rights workers are
still searching for Lourdes as of press time.

Desaparecidos said that the latest abduction case is
the 12th from January to March this year, of which
Lubrico is the fifth woman victim. Another woman,
Josephine Nogoy, 32, was abducted in San Jose, Tarlac
province on March 27.

Also on March 27, two peasant members of the farmers
group Kagimungan went missing in brgy. Bagunot, Baggao
town, Cagayan province. The two victimsArthur
Orpilla, a barangay councilor, and Dionisio Batta —
had been earlier harassed by soldiers of the 17th
Infantry Battalion and were supposed to report to the
military camp when they failed to return home.

There are now a total of 198 victims of enforced
disappearances during the six years under Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo. ##

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