According to the protesters led by the Surface Dexter and Bazoo Movement, they were hoping that the two would be found alive.
The act of folding 1,000 origami cranes is an ancient tradition in Japanese culture that is believed to bring “good luck, longevity, and healing,” according to the group. At the rally, Capuyan’s younger brother Eli said they wanted to get a certification from Nolcom that the two were not in its custody. Republic Act No. 10353, or the Anti-Enforced or Involuntary Disappearance Act of 2012, requires government agencies, including the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines, to immediately reply in writing to a person or group inquiring about a missing person.
“Please surface my brother and Bazoo. As their families, we ought to know that they are safe,” Eli said at the rally.Capuyan, a Bontoc-Ibaloy-Kankanaey, had been tagged by the military as a high-ranking member of the New People’s Army in the Ilocos and Cordillera regions, with a P1.85-million bounty for his capture.