A COURT in Cagayan de Oro City has ordered “Bakwit” leaders to answer the petition for a writ of habeas corpus filed by fellow evacuees encamped at the provincial capitol park.
Certain Bernie Calimhay, Arante Calimhay and Reboden Hilogon have filed a petition for writ of habeas corpus before Branch 19 of the Regional Trial Court to order respondents Sariza Acosta and Renaldo Ayoma for them to produce the members of their respective family.
Other respondents of the petition were Berny Coleta, Joley Coleta, Jonryboy Hilogon, Rechel Hilogon, Jerry Basahun, Maymay Coleta, Erenyo Udarbe, Kulaw Udarbe and Allana Cortez.
A writ of habeas corpus is “a court order to a person or agency holding someone in custody to deliver the imprisoned individual to the court issuing the order and to show a valid reason for that person's detention.”
“Finding the petition to be sufficient in form and substance, the same is hereby given due course. The respondents are ordered to show cause within five days from receipt of this order why no writ of habeas corpus shall be issued against them,” the order said.
The order dated August 1, further directed the respondents to bring the family members of the petitioners before the issuing court at 8:30 a.m. on August 8, “failing which, appropriate sanction shall be imposed.”
The hearing on the petition will ensue the same day.
“Buot pasabot sa order sa court nga ipatubag ang mga respondent kung unsa ka tinuod ang gi-alleged sa petitioners nga gihulga, gi-intimidate ug gipugngan sila nga ipapauli,”Lawyer Czarina Musni of the Union of Peoples' Lawyers in Mindanao (UPLM) said.
Sariza Acosta, spokesperson of the evacuees, said they will bring to the issuing court those names mentioned in the order who are staying at makeshift shelters at the provincial capitol park.
Acosta maintained that their fellow bakwits whose names were on the court order were not forced to join them in their encampment at the capitol park.
“Wala mani sila gipugos ug ila maning kaugalingon nga decision nga mouban. Nakurat man gani ni sila ngano naa ilang pangalan sa papel,”Acosta said.
The displaced families from Sitio Camansi, in Banglay, Lagongong, have fled their homes more than a month ago due to “intense militarization” in their community.
Acosta is accusing the military and the provincial social welfare office to be having a hand in the court order.