Groups mark International Day of the Disappeared with protest in Iloilo City

By Juliane Judilla

In observance of the International Day of the Disappeared, progressive groups held a protest on August 30 at Plazoleta Gay in Iloilo City to demand justice for victims of enforced disappearances in the Philippines.

The demonstration called attention to the unresolved cases of Panay activists Luing Posa-Dominado and Nilo Arado, who were abducted by unidentified men in April 2007 and remain missing.

The groups denounced what they described as state-perpetrated enforced disappearances and called on authorities to surface all desaparecidos and end the harassment of human rights defenders.

“Eighteen years have passed, but justice remains elusive for Luing and Nilo,” said Elmer Forro of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan–Panay.

“We continue to call for truth and accountability,” he added.

Meanwhile, in the National Capital Region, families of victims gathered at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani for a memorial organized by the Families of Victims of Involuntary Disappearance (FIND) and the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD).

The International Day of the Disappeared, observed every August 30, honors individuals who have disappeared in connection with political repression and aims to raise awareness and demand government accountability.