The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has taken cognisance of the reported disappearance of Rowena “Owen” Dasig, an environmental defender from Calabarzon, whose charges had been recently dismissed by the Gumaca Regional Trial Court Branch 172 on 13 August 2024. As of writing, there have been no updates on the whereabouts of Dasig after she had been freed from the Lucena City District Jail (LCDJ).
It must be remembered that Dasig was arrested with Miguela “Ella” Peniero, a community health worker who is still being detained to this date, by the police and the military on 12 July 2023 in Atimonan, Quezon. The said charges were based on illegal possession of firearms, ammunition, and explosives. Upon being detained, the 85th Infantry Battalion also released a statement, which tagged Dasig as a leader of the New Peoples Army. [1]
The CHR urges for the exhaustive search of Dasig. As the country’s independent national human rights institution, we are closely monitoring and investigating this matter to ascertain her whereabouts and safety. We also call upon all relevant government and law enforcement agencies to immediately conduct their efforts within their respective mandates.
We also take this opportunity to reiterate the need for stricter implementation of Republic Act No. 10353, or the Anti-Enforced or Involuntary Disappearance Act of 2012. It is important that human right defenders in our country are able to effectively conduct their work without any fear for their own welfare. It is about time that we strengthen the safeguards on the rights of activists to address their susceptibility to violence, harassment, and even red-tagging.
In protecting the rights of every Filipino, it is equally important that we also put the welfare of human rights defenders at par with the safeguards that the Philippine Constitution has guaranteed. The Commission remains undeterred in calling for maintaining the upkeep of a healthy democracy by promoting a society where all citizens are able to freely voice out and act on their own advocacies.###
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[1] 85th Infantry Sandiwa Battalion Facebook post, 13 July 2023 https://www.facebook.com/Sandiwa85/posts/pfbid025jJa4ktesjqEcgBokNUErz8V6Lp5cFo8AQ5HhoRxsjatNb6Ainpm9yyWdvQ6WnVol
Erratum: A previous version of this statement has incorrectly cited the Anti-Enforced or Involuntary Disappearance Act as Republic Act No. 10535. We have updated the press statement to reflect the correct law, which is Republic Act No. 10353. The CHR appreciates the feedback. We will remain committed to maintaining accuracy in all facts being presented in our future releases.