Politics · Philippines Bureau
Families of Philippines' Missing Persons Mark All Souls' Day
Relatives of alleged enforced disappearances gathered on All Souls' Day to honor loved ones who vanished under unclear circumstances, many during the country's turbulent political past. The commemorations underscore ongoing calls for justice and accountability in unresolved cases spanning decades.
LSN Philippines ·
MANILA—Cresencia dela Cruz joined other families observing All Souls' Day to remember Abner Hizarsa, her common-law husband who disappeared on March 21, 2007. Hizarsa, a father of three, was last seen being abducted by unidentified armed men in an unmarked van while traveling to his daughter's school in Subic, Zambales, to deliver her lunch. Seventeen years later, his family remains without answers about his whereabouts or fate.
The annual remembrance has become a solemn ritual for families of the Philippines' estimated thousands of disappeared persons, many of whom vanished during periods of political unrest and remain unaccounted for. The cases represent a persistent challenge to the country's justice system, with few convictions and minimal official accountability despite decades of advocacy by human rights organizations.
Families continue pressing authorities to investigate the disappearances and provide closure. All Souls' Day has emerged as a focal point for these grieving relatives to publicly honor their missing loved ones while renewing demands for transparency and justice. The persistence of such cases underscores lingering concerns about impunity and human rights protections in the Philippines.