Families of desaparecidos mark All Souls’ Day with renewed call: ‘Surface all desaparecidos’

MANILA — For some Filipinos, All Souls’ Day is a time to remember not only departed loved ones, but also those who have disappeared and whose fates remain unknown.

Nearly a hundred people gathered at a school chapel in Quezon City on Monday to remember victims of enforced disappearances — the desaparecidos — and renew their calls for justice.

For Belet Batralo, the gathering was another occasion to remember her brother, Cesar, who has been missing nearly 20years.

“He was abducted. Broad light between 2 p.m. to 4 p.m… And you know, bangungot sa pamilya. And sa lahat ng desaparecidos, bangungot sa amin ‘yun,” Belet said.

(And you know, it has been a nightmare for the family. And for all the desaparecidos, that is a nightmare for us.)

With no graves to visit during Undas, Belet said families of the missing instead gather in churches to offer flowers, light candles and hold mass.

The gathering is an annual event organized by Desaparecidos Philippines, an organization of families of victims of enforced disappearances.

This year, the group mounted an exhibit featuring photographs of their missing loved ones. Participants also offered white roses beside the pictures and recited the names of those who remain missing.

For organization chair JL Burgos, remembering the desaparecidos is also a way of keeping their cases alive in the public consciousness.

“‘Kasi para sa amin, ang pag-alala ay isang porma ng protesta… So paulit-ulit naming sinasabi ang mga pangalan nila para hindi mawala sa isip namin at sa isip ng mamamayang Pilipino na may mga ganitong klaseng kaso,” Burgos said.

(For us, remembering is a form of protest… so we repeat their names so Filipinos will not forget that there are cases like this.)

Desaparecidos has recorded more than 1,900 cases of enforced disappearances in the Philippines since the administration of former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.

Separately, human rights group Karapatan reported 272 documented cases of enforced disappearance since the writ of amparo took effect in October 2007.

Of these, 206 were recorded during the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo administration, 29 under Benigno Aquino III, 20 under Rodrigo Duterte and 17 during the current administration, based on the group’s August 2026 report.

Among those missing is Abner Hizarsa, who was reportedly abducted on March 21, 2007.

His wife, Cresencia Hizarsa, said her husband had been a four-time political prisoner before his disappearance.

“Puwede naman nilang arestuhin doon sa bahay namin o kung saan man siya at ihabla sa korte. Hindi nawawala sa rights niya ‘yun kahit pa armado siya o ano siya na hulihin, iharap,” Cresencia said.

(They could have just arrested him at our house or anywhere and bring him to court. He would still have rights even if he were armed or whatever when he was arrested and charged.)

The families renewed their appeal for the government to surface all desaparecidos, a message displayed on headscarves worn by participants and on signs at the gathering.

Burgos said families want to know what happened to their missing relatives and see those responsible held accountable.

The group also called on the government to ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, a United Nations treaty adopted in 2006 and which took effect in 2010.

The Philippines has neither signed nor ratified the convention, according to the UN Treaty Collection.

Under the agreement, no exceptional circumstances, including a state of war, threat of war, internal political instability or public emergency, may be invoked to justify enforced disappearance.

The convention also recognizes the right of victims and their families to know the truth about the circumstances of a disappearance and the fate of the missing person. It establishes international monitoring mechanisms through the UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances.

“We’re demanding the government to ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All People Against Enforced Disappearance. Kasi sa tingin namin, kapag matupad itong mga binanggit naming request ay hakbang ‘to para sa tunay na kapayapaan at tunay na hustisya,” Burgos said.

(In our view, granting our request will be a step towards true peace and justice.)

The Philippines already has a domestic law penalizing enforced disappearances through Republic Act No. 10353, or the Anti-Enforced or Involuntary Disappearance Act of 2012.

The law defines enforced disappearance as the arrest, detention, abduction or other deprivation of liberty committed by state agents, or individuals acting with the state’s authorization, support or acquiescence, followed by a refusal to acknowledge the deprivation of liberty or concealment of the victim’s fate or whereabouts.

It also considers enforced disappearance a continuing offense for as long as perpetrators conceal the fate and whereabouts of the missing person.

Burgos also claimed that enforced disappearances have increased under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

“Humupa nang kaunti ang extrajudicial killings. Mayroon pa rin pero humupa. Pero dumami ang enforced disappearance,” he said.

(The extrajudicial killings have gone down. They still happen, but there are fewer cases. But the enforced disappearances have increased.)

Karapatan’s August 2026 data documents 17 cases under the Marcos Jr. administration, which Burgos attributed to lack of accountability. 

“No one is put into justice,” he added.

As December 21 approaches, two decades will have passed since Cesar Batralo disappeared.

Despite the years without answers, his sister Belet said she continues to hope that they will see him again, or at least obtain justice.

“Kasi hindi naman kami titigil na pamilya kung walang kaming nakikitang buto– remains,” Belet said of the continuing questions about what happened to her brother.

(Our family will not stop searching until we see bones — remains.)