July 27, 2012: A former law student of the Mindanao State University (MSU) in Marawi City was abducted and later believed killed by members of the Army’s 65th Infantry Battalion at around midnight July 25.

According to report, the student and his former classmates, after breaking their fast, agreed to visit one of the restaurants in downtown Marawi City to avail of the latest coffee brand. But when they were about to alight from the car they rode, suddenly the soldiers, brandishing high-powered firearms, surrounded them, frisked the victim, and aggressively interrogated him.  They accused him of buying a hot car, but upon close scrutiny, the papers of the vehicle are all clean and authentic.  However, when the soldiers searched the vehicle they allegedly found a .38 caliber pistol inside, and for which reason, they brought the student to Agus 1 where their headquarters is located.

The student’s relatives, who were trying to check his condition or whereabouts, were turned back by a group of drunken soldiers guarding that military camp. The soldiers shouted at the victim’s relatives and they were also threatened to be harmed if they will not disperse and leave immediately.

Later on, however, the parents of the victim were informed that their son was summarily executed by the soldiers, a report that cannot be confirmed independently for lack of witnesses who are willing to shed light on the incident.

The victim’s sister, who had the nerve to grant a brief interview with Luwaran, confessed of the “climate of fear” in Marawi City where an unofficial martial law is being implemented.

She also said that most of the Moro politicians in Marawi City are afraid that if they lend a helping hand to the victim and others who previously suffered from these military excesses would lose their military escorts and afraid of being branded as anti-government.

Another report said that the victim was a human rights volunteer and was working with one of the non-government organizations in Mindanao whose task is to fight for the rights of illegally detained persons and those summarily executed.