UPB community, groups urge admin to intensify efforts in surfacing #Taytay2

By Carl Joshua Calma and Jose Emman Capones Jr.

The University of the Philippines Baguio (UPB) students and teachers, along with several progressive groups, demanded the school’s administration to be more proactive in rallying calls and actions to surface missing alumni and indigenous people’s rights activists Dexter Capuyan and Gene Roz Jamil “Bazoo“ de Jesus.

THE SEARCH CONTINUES | Families of the allegedly abducted two Cordilleran indigenous people’s rights advocates, Dexter Capuyan and Gene Roz Jamil “Bazoo” De Jesus, along with University of the Philippines Baguio (UPB) constituents, gather for a prayer vigil and further amplify the calls to surface the missing activists on May 23, Tuesday, at the UPB Oblation grounds. Capuyan and De Jesus were last seen on April 28, Friday, in Taytay, Rizal. - Emman Capones

On Wednesday, May 24, the university released its first statement regarding the incident on its Facebook page, 26 days after the alleged abduction of Capuyan and De Jesus, who were last seen on April 28 in Taytay, Rizal.

“We share the concern of the families of Gene Roz Jamil “Bazoo” De Jesus and Dexter Capuyan on their reported disappearance. We urge all government and concerned agencies … to exhaust all means and resources to fully address their disappearances,” the post read.

Clamor for more

However, various university constituents voiced their dismay over the school administration’s lack of concrete support and urgency in their efforts toward surfacing the two missing activists.

“Alam naman natin na almost one month na nawawala si Manong Dexter at si Kuya Bazoo … and yet UP Baguio chose to be silent for three weeks, so to see a lazily written statement from the administration, nakakadismaya na wala man lang sense of urgency, wala man lang sense of concern sa pag-call for the surfacing [of Capuyan and De Jesus],” Jed Hernandez, a third-year communication student, said.

UPB Council of Leaders (CL) Chairperson Patricia Daloria, also the convener of surfacing campaigns on campus, welcomed the statement but urged the administration to provide further support and to use all available means in demanding justice over the enforced disappearance.

“Syempre wine-welcome naman natin ‘yung finally nakapag-release na ng statement yung UP Baguio admin after 26 days, pero at the same time din ay mas china-challenge pa [natin sila]. Parang hindi sufficient talaga kasi parang wala masyadong ngipin, wala masyadong pangil yung statement talaga tapos hindi siya masyadong proactive … kulang pa sa pag-push for their [Capuyan and De Jesus] surfacing, sa pag-launch ng initiatives sa search sa kanila, or whatever help they can provide para sa pagpapalitaw sa mga UPB alumni,” Daloria said.

Markneel Balgos, a lecturer, also stressed the need for the administration to take the initiative and act promptly.

“Dapat meron talagang mabigay na response ‘yung UP Baguio admin [administration]. Maybe a form of cash donation, or even send manpower doon sa paghahanap, o kung anumang efforts para ma-surface si Dexter at Bazoo. I hope magbigay pa sila ng efforts na mabibigay ng UP Baguio community to be led by them kasi sila ang administration,” Balgos said.

Meanwhile, UPB University Student Council (USC) Chairperson Iya Trinidad raised the issue with the university’s highest governing body to solicit aid from the UP System.

“Sa amin [USC] ay nakikipagusap tayo sa student regent na i-bring up itong issue na ito. Actually, there was a board of regents meeting a while ago at ni-raise natin, we requested SR [student regent] to raise this issue to the BOR [Board of Regents]. So hopefully ay, magkaroon ng concrete at kagyat na response from the UP System and siyempre sa mga kapwa nating student organizations," Trinidad said.

Seeking the state

Trinidad also demanded that cooperation between the university and government agencies be explored.

“Kailangan nilang [UPB administration] tumulong mismo sa search, gamitin nila yung networks, yung connections that they have. I’m pretty sure na they have direct links sa likewise na agencies sa AFP, sa PNP, gamitin nila ‘yun para magkaroon ng source of information na makakatulong sa search committee,” Trinidad said.

Progressive groups of All UP Academia Employees Union (AUPAEU) Baguio Chapter and the Youth Act Now Against Tyranny Baguio-Benguet both forwarded letters of demand to various administrative bodies.

“We call on every government office to heed our demand and use resources in finding Dexter and Bazoo. We demand accountability from those responsible for their disappearance full-scale investigations from relevant government agencies should be launched in ensuring accountability for the perpetrators,” said Rhanydell Baysa of the Youth Act Now Against Tyranny Baguio-Benguet.

De Jesus served as the CL chairperson from 2015-2016, while Capuyan was editor-in-chief of Outcrop, the school’s official student publication, from 1985-1986.