BENGUET -- With the granting of the Writ of Amparo last January 19, militants and co-activists continue to strengthen their struggle for the surfacing of the still missing Cordilleran activist James Balao.

On Tuesday, Balao’s family and supporters filed a Motion for Execution before the Office of the Clerk of Court of the Regional Trial Court’s Branch 63.

“Since the Motion for Execution that we asked for is a litigated motion, we will wait until Friday’s hearing,” said the militants’ and James’ family’s legal counsel Atty. Manja Bayang.

But the militants stressed that this is not the only thing they will do to strengthen their campaign for the surfacing of Balao.

“We will be filing the same appeal to the Supreme Court as to the denial of the interim orders,” declared Beverly Longid, Chairperson of the Cordillera Peoples Alliance.  Longid added that they had a hard time asking for the granting of the Petition of the Writ of Amparo for the last months.

Arthur Balao, the father of James, even stressed that US Ambassador Kristie Kenney alerted President Gloria Arroyo of the high cases of extra-judicial killings in the Philippines.

“Buhay si James… Naniniwala kaming buhay si James.” Arthur lamented.

James Balao is a founding member of the Cordillera Peoples’ Alliance in 1984 and presently a member of CPA’s education and research commission staff. Coming from Atok and La Trinidad in Benguet, he is also the president of the Oclupan Clan Association and the Ngalatan-Yami Clan Association.

Enforced disappearance

The Progressive Igorots for Social Action (PIGSA), College Editor’s Guild of the Philippines Baguio-Benguet Chapter (CEGP-BB), National Union of Students in the Philippines Baguio Benguet (NUSP), and ANAKBAYAN Baguio-Benguet uphold their challenge to the present administration to surface Balao as soon as possible.

They believe that the Balao case was no longer a simple case of a missing person but of enforced disappearance with the perpetrators cowardly hiding in the shadows.

Enforced disappearances according to reports of various organizations including the United Nations and KARAPATAN are only possible with the resources and abilities of the military intelligence units of the combined Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police.

Philippine Army Spokesperson Col. Romeo Brawner Jr. and Police Chief Superintendent Eugene Martin of Police Regional Office Cordillera earlier denied such accusations. 

Balao reported months beforehand that he and his family were under surveillance; constantly seeing cars following him on his daily routine. On the day of his disappearance on September 17, he was supposed to go to Ifugao as a part of his regular tasks in the CPA. He has not been seen since.