 Renowned Baguio activist and Cordillera People’s Alliance (CPA) co-founder James Balao was reported to have been abducted by armed men around 8 a.m. last September 17 while on his way home to La Trinidad, Benguet.
Leaders from various press organizations and activist groups intensified their campaign in surfacing Balao, pointing Arroyo’s administration as the cause of his disappearance. CPA chairperson Beverly Longid described the incident as “a well–planned, state–instigated campaign to … attempt to incapacitate organizations and offices who have been involved in the broad democratic movement, particularly on issues concerning violations of human rights and indigenous peoples’ rights.” ‘Normal Arrest’
Balao, 47, disclosed seeing vans following him from his workplace to his house before the said abduction. Cordillera Human Rights’ Alliance (CHRA) revealed that eyewitnesses were present during the time of abduction to confirm that James was seized and forced into a vehicle by five military-looking men in civilian clothes around 8 a.m. while walking in front of Tacdian Catholic School in Lower Tomay, La Trinidad near his house. Onlookers described Balao’s arrest as ‘normal’, citing the authorities’ explanation to them that Balao was being arrested since he was discovered to be a drug-pusher. Balao’s family belied the claims, saying that they were not affiliates of any antisocial groups. Intensified Search Immediately after the event, the police were tapped to search for Balao spurring Supt. Wilfredo Franco to create a task force for the job. The family also made their own search in Ilocos Sur upon receiving information from the military and police that James’ disappearance was undertaken by the Military Intelligence Group (MIG) and Intelligence Service Unit (ISU) of Region 1. However, “all of the units visited denied that they have James in their custody.” On October 8, Balao’s family filed a 29-page petition at the Benguet Regional Trial Court against PGMA, AFP and PNP officials. The appeal pleads for the court to issue a writ of amparo ordering the respondents to immediately surface and release James Balao. Two-timer Balao’s disapperance was the second time for CPA, since the abduction of Ama Daniel Ngayaan in 1987. The last reported disappearance in Baguio was in 2001. “This is alarming for us campus journalists, especially in a time when human rights violations escalate along with press freedom violations,” said Marc Mendiola, chairman of the College Editors’ Guild of the Philippines – Baguio-Benguet Chapter (CEGP-BB) in his website. “This calls for vigilance among us and our friends from the mainstream media. We are concerned for his life and liberty, as well as other victims of the culture of impunity we are living in.” Other organizations that joined CPA and CEGP’s campaign are PIGSA, NUSP, and Anakbayan Baguio-Benguet who challenged PGMA’s government to surface Balao as soon as possible. CEGP-BB holds PGMA accountable for “the culture of impunity that condones enforced disappearance and other human rights violations.” Mendiola is also appealing to local authorities to help in the ongoing search for James Balao. James Balao is the former editor-in-chief of UP-Baguio’s Outcrop. During the Marcos regime, he was already reportedly fighting for campus press freedom.
SOURCES: Bulatlat.com Sunstar Baguio.
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