In a separate affidavit, Ederlita Lorenzana, 56, a neighbor, said that
a day after Bustamante was held, a habal-habal (motorcycle) driver
named Alberto Gallardo told them he had seen the youth on a
motorcycle with men in military uniforms belonging to the 73rd IB camp
in Paquibato Proper.
Lorenzana also said that Ubat had sent her a text message saying that
Bustamante was a Communist New People’s Army (NPA) member, and that
was the reason for holding him. His mother said he had no other
involvement except as member of the Gagmay’ng Kristohanong
Katilingban (GKK) in their barangay.
The petition for the writ of amparo came a day after Supreme Court
Justice Renato Amparo delivered a four-hour lecture to a mixed group
of lawyers, judges, prosecutors and policemen inside the University of
Mindanao-Matina campus here.
Puno said that the writ of amparo, which comes from the Spanish word
“amparar,” (meaning, to protect), will hopefully provide a “legal
remedy” for those whose lives, liberty and security are threatened
because of their political beliefs.
Kelly Delgado, secretary-general of Karapatan-Southern Mindanao, said
his group remains hopeful that the petition for writ of amparo, the
first to be filed in Mindanao, will save the life of Bustamante and
other missing persons in Mindanao.
“We hope that the writ of amparo will help speed up the release of
missing persons, especially those with political inclinations,” said
Delgado, “We hope that it will limit the brutality of state forces
against those whom they perceive as critical of the government. We are
happy that unlike the President and military who are in constant state
of denial about the extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances
happening in the country, the Supreme Court recognizes the problem
and is doing something to protect the rights of the people.”
(Germelina Lacorte/DavaoToday)
