Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 19) — Environmental activists Jhed Tamano and Jonila Castro, who were earlier reported missing, on Tuesday denied that they voluntarily surrendered to the authorities.
Castro claimed that the military was behind their abduction, and they were threatened by authorities.
“Ang totoo po ay dinukot kami ng mga militar sakay ng van. Napilitan din kami sumurender dahil pinagpabantaan yung buhay namin. Ayun ang totoo,” she said during a media briefing by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict.
[Translation: The truth is the military took us inside a van. We were also forced to surrender because they threatened us. That’s the truth.]
The two activists were reportedly abducted by four armed men on Sept 2. in Orion, Bataan.
“Nung gabi po ng Sept. 2, naglalakad lang po kami sa kalsada nung meron pong dumukot sa amin. May tumigil pong SUV sa harap namin tapos dinukot po kami…Akala namin sindikato, pero kilala po nila kami,” Tamano said.
[Translation: On the night of Sept. 2, we were just walking on the street when they abducted us. An SUV stopped in front of us and they took us…We thought they were part of a syndicate, but they know us.]
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“Hindi po totoo na kusang loob po kaming sumurrender dahil pinilit lang po kami,” says Tamano.
“Nung gabi po ng Sept. 2, naglalakad lang po kami sa kalsada nung meron pong dumukot sa amin. May tumigil pong SUV sa harap namin tapos dinukot po kami,” she adds. | @EJgomezzzz pic.twitter.com/g0BrwTyqc7
— CNN Philippines (@cnnphilippines) September 19, 2023
