DAVAO CITY – After her parents disappeared eight years ago, a young woman is still pining for the day when she sees her missing loved ones.
Malaya Intise, daughter of desaparecidos Federico and Nelly Intise, said during a press conference Tuesday that both her parents and another person named Gloria Cañeveral were abducted in Barangay Calumpang, General Santos City last October 26, 2006.
She still recalled the day her parents went missing. She remembered that she even had to file an enforced disappearance case at the United Nations.
“We filed a case at the Calumpang police station. For a month we searched for them and after that we filed a case before the national (office). We also filed an enforced disappearance case before the United Nations,” Intise said.
However, after eight years, her parents are still missing. Now, she is demanding answers about their disappearance.
She suspected the military is behind their disappearance because of her father’s 30-year work as a consultant for the National Democratic Front (NDF).
“Proud ko sa akong parents kay dili sila problema sa komunidad. Pero tungod sa ilang gibarugan nga klase sa trabaho mao gyud ang hinungdan nganong nawala sila. Wala miy laing suspetsa kundili ang military (I’m proud of my parents, they have not been a problem to the community. It is because of their principles and their work that’s why they became targets. We have no other suspects of the enforced disappearance but the military),” she said.
Sister Noemi Degala, executive secretary of the Sisters Association in Mindanao, said that the very government agencies that are tasked to help the family seek justice and answers have failed the family.
“Naga-trust sila nga ang mga ahensiya sa gobyerno nga nakatala nga anang mga pag-imbestiga magtrabaho sa ilang function. Sad to say, after eight years, on the limbo gihapon ang pamilya because nothing was said sa ilang mga pagpangutana (They trusted that government agencies in-charge of the investigation will do their work Sad to say, after eight years, the family is still in limbo as they still have no answers),” she said.
Degala remarked that as a Catholic nun, she heeded the call of Pope Francis of serving the people, especially the underprivileged.
“Ang Santo Papa karon naga-encourage sa tawong-simbahan nga pangitaon nila ang pagserbisyo sa mga pobre ug sa katawhan diha sa gawas sa ilang kumbento ug dapat magpakabana sa struggle sa katawhan sa ilahang pagka-fulfill sa ilang pagkaanak sa Ginoo (The Pope encourages churchpeople to serve the poor outside of their convents and to be aware of their struggles to fulfill their duties as children of God.),” she said.
Thus, she sympathized with and wanted to help the Intises in their search for the whereabout of the couple. She added that waiting for the return of a missing loved one is more painful than knowing that that person has died.
“Waiting is the most painful part because maayo na lang unta ug nakita na nimo kaysa sa magsige ka og hulat nga maghulat nga maghulat (Waiting is the most painful part because it would have been better if we have found them than to wait forever.),” she said.
Degala also called for the resumption of the GPH-NDF peace talks.
“Ako isip usa ka madre sa Mindanao kauban ang mga peace advocates sa nasud nanawagan nga ipadayon ang ang GPH-NDF peace talks aron mapa-surface nato kung unsa gyud ang rason nganong naay panagbangi (I as a nun in Mindanao along with other peace advocates call for the resumption of the GPH-NDF peace talks to address the roots of armed conflict),” Degala said.
As a parting statement, Intise wanted to let President Aquino know that she and her family will not stop searching for their parents.
“Karon gusto nako ipaabot sa leadership ni President Aquino nga aduna pay mga anak ug pamilya ni Nelly ug Federico nga nagapadayon nga nagapangita sa ilaha samtang naa pa koy kinabuhi. Magpadayon kong magpangita (I want to call the attention of the Aquino government to inform them that the family of Nelly and Federico are still searching for their loved ones. I will continue to search my parents while I continue to live.),” she added. (davaotoday.com)
