Desaparecidos including John Calaba, a Dulangan Manobo missing since April 30, 2015, and other human rights victims were remembered on All Soul’s Day Nov. 2 as the Manilakbayan 2015 camps out at the Liwasang Bonifacio. Connie Empeño, mother of abducted activist Karen, and other kin were joined by lumad leader Datu Jumong and veteran writer Boni Ilagan. They demand an end to counter-insurgency operations Oplan Bayanihan.
“Aside from these letters and other efforts, we are also putting the whole of ourselves in our plea for return of our freedom, application of justice and respect for human rights that have been and continue to be deprived from us,” thus said the political prisoners in a statement, explaining the reason for their hunger strike. The 32 political prisoners at Camp Bagong Diwa’s male and female dorm signed the declaration of hunger strike. Among them are Andrea Rosal, and consultants to the peace talks of the Philippine government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) such as Alan Jazmines, Tirso Alcantara, Loida Magpatoc, Emeterio Antalan, and Leopoldo Caloza.