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Camarines Sur

April 26, 1989
On April 26, 1989, at around 4:00 in the afternoon, Ma. Nonna Sta. Clara and Angelina Llenareas left the office of the Ecumenical Center for Research and Development (ECRD) at Liboton St. in Naga City to go to Brgy. Sta. Cruz for a research job when abducted by a group of INP elements.

According to a Sta. Cruz resident, the two women came to their house at around 4:00 pm. She related further that three unidentified plainclothesmen were following them. She had not, however, seen what happened after the two left the house.

The day before, April 25, 1989, at around 4:00pm, the residence was the site of a search and arrest of suspected NPA rebels. A couple named Jaime and Marlene Pellas were apprehended by PC-INP elements of Naga City INP after a search of the house yielded alleged subversive documents.

The place was further subjected to surveillance by military operatives.

According to a witness to the abduction, a Protestant pastor, together with another minister, saw a woman on board an owner-type jeep colored light green while passing the corner of Blumentritt and Panganiban Sts. in Naga City. The woman was shouting, and he was able to hear only the words "two" and "four."

When shown the picture of Sta. Clara, they positively identified that it was the same woman they saw inside the jeep.  Meanwhile, residents of P. Diaz St. near Brgy. Sta. Cruz claimed that two women had been abducted by plainclothesmen in the vicinity that April 26 afternoon.  Another witness, a tricycle driver, identified two of the plainclothesmen who abducted the two women. He identified the driver as a civilian asset of police intelligence operatives and a captain of the provincial INP headquarters.

The family of Sta. Clara made an inquiry at the provincial headquarters through the office of the captain, but the latter denied any information on the incident. He instead told the family that in ten days' time, the victim might just surface.

FLAG lawyer Luis Ruben General filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus. During the hearing on May 2, 1989, the respondents denied having custody of the victims. On May 16, 1989, the petitioners withdraw the case against ranking military officials for fear of the lives of the three vital witnesses.

Three FLAG lawyers and the witnesses on the case have received death threats, which are believed to come from the military. Another petition for habeas corpus was filed with the Supreme Court on May 22, 1989.

details about their circumstances.