PHILIPPINE NEWS SERVICE — AS POLICE formed a task force to look for Jonas Burgos, his widowed mother, Edith, went on radio yesterday and appealed to President Macapagal-Arroyo’s sense of motherhood to fulfill her repeated promise to ”do her job.”
This developed as the military denied that it has in its custody Jonas, Melisa Reyes and an unidentified companion who all have been reported missing since Saturday in Quezon City.
Yesterday, Philippine National Police Director General Oscar C. Calderon mobilized Task Force Usig to look into the reported disappearance of the son of the late press freedom icon, Jose Burgos, according to task force chief Director Geary L. Barias.
Quezon City police director Senior Supt. Magtanggol Gatdula said he has also created a police team that will distribute and display pictures of Jay Burgos in public places.
In a news briefing, Armed Forces information chief Lt. Col. Bartolome Bacarro lamented that it was unfair for militant groups to once again put the blame on the military for the sudden disappearance of the three.
”We sympathize with the family (of Jonas Burgos) but we are just wondering why militant groups again will pick on the Armed Forces,” Bacarro said.
He said military units in Metro Manila and Central Luzon have not seen Jonas and his companions.
“We have checked with them…there was nothing. There were no reports that Jonas is under their custody,” Bacarro said. He noted that the military will collaborate with other government agencies in the investigation of the incident.
Jonas, a trainor of Alyansa ng Magbubukid sa Bulacan, disappeared along with Reyes and an unidentified male near SM North EDSA in Quezon City at 6 p.m. last Saturday.