Student Christian Movement of the Philippines

NCCP Compound,  879 Epifanio de los Santos Avenue, Quezon City, Philippines

Mobile Number 09289526973                              e-mail:  scmp_national@yahoo.com

CONVENOR: TANGGULAN Youth Network for Civil Liberties and Human Rights

 

News Release

November 22, 2007

 

Reference: Ma. Cristina Guevarra, Secretary General, 09186106275

                        Biyaya Quizon, Chairperson, 09265185423

 

"They're not soldiers, they're demons"

Students and friends renew calls to surface and free missing UP students


STUDENTS OF THE University of the Philippines held a candlelighting today in the University of the Philippines to renew calls to surface missing students Karen Empeno and Sherlyn Cadapan.

 

"Karen and Sherlyn should be surfaced immediately. It is heartbreaking to know the accusations that the military are hanging them upside down, raping them and beating them black and blue. Their captors are not soldiers, they are demons," Ma. Cristina Guevarra, Student Christian Movement of the Philippines secretary general said. 

 

The group expressed outrage and utmost concern for the two students in light of recent updates that the two UP students were beaten and even sexually abused by the military.

 

"The longer time that nobody takes action, the longer Karen and Sherlyn's sufferings are. They do not deserve this. They have devoted their lives being the best daughters, students, and friends that they could be," she added.

 

According to Linda Cadapan, Sherlyn's mother, the Manalo brothers claimed they saw and talked to Sherlyn early this year. They wrote in an affidavit submitted to the Court of Appeals (CA). Some parts of the students' ordeal, according to the affidavit, were included in a feature article in Pinoy Weekly. The same article was reprinted in the recent issue of the Philippine Collegian.

 

Yesterday, the CA held the second hearing for petition on the writ of amparo for Cadapan and Empeno. Cadapan's mother-in-law took the witness stand and proved that Cadapan visited her in their house which, according to the affidavit of the Manalos, was supposed to be a plan of Cadapan to let anybody know their whereabouts. 

 

"The military should stop denying and stop making fools out of us, Karen and Sherlyn's parents, and the judiciary. We pray that the writ of amparo will shed light on the disappearance of Karen and Sherlyn, so their parents will also know the situation of their daughters immediately. We also hope that the court shall take drastic measures to help surface them at the soonest possible time.," Guevarra said.

 

The students committed to carry on the fight for Karen and Sherlyn as they march to Mendiola tomorrow in the Youth March for Education, Good Governance and Human Rights. ###