An old acquaintance asked me last night if I had news on the Sagada 11. Like the first time I've heard of them, I can't help but feel I should've done more. I should do more.

About the same time a year ago...

From the Autonomous Media:

On Feb. 14, 2006, a group of 11 anarcho-punks from across the Philippines set out on a trip to Sagada... The punks, who were 15-24 years old and knew each other through groups like Food not Bombs and Earth First, were anticipating a nature trip in one of the most beautiful and remote parts of the Philippines. They never arrived.

Instead, Police stopped the truck they were hitching a ride on, and ordered the group to get down at gunpoint. Without any explanation, the police detained the 11 travelers, kicked, beat, manacled and blindfolded them, and confiscated their belongings – including a camera with photos of their activities over the course of their trip, and cell phones which would have allowed them to alert friends and family of the situation.

The prisoners are: Darwin Alagar (age 21, Urdaneta Pangasinan), Rundren Lao (age 24, Davao City), Jefferson Dela Rosa (age 22, Pasig City), Metro Villegracia (age 24, Davao City), Neil Russell Balajadia (age 25, Pasig City), Ronron Pandino (age 23, Laguna), Arvie Nunez (age 23, Lucena City), Aldous Christian Mañosa (age 19, Pasig City), Anderson Alonzo (age 18, Davao City)

Neil Russel Balajadia. Russel. I can't exactly point when, maybe around 2002-2003. Muds and I was outside comedydotcom, a little-known bar in Pasig. A lean guy approached us selling bootleg tapes and cds. Said he noticed Muds' leather jacket and thought we might be interested. We were but we didn't have any money so he excused himself. When he came back he had two plastics with straw filled with beer. We knew we made a new friend.

I was sure I knew the others as well, or at least seen them before. Parts of me were struggling to get involved, but I didn't. I did sign the petition though.

I searched around this morning and found this.

From Inquirer.net:

The nine backpackers who were arrested in February for their supposed involvement in a communist raid on a military detachment in Mankayan town would spend Christmas with their families after a local court ordered their release on Wednesday.

What happened to these guys are just plain wrong. I hope they don't let it end like this. Anyways, hope to see guys again soon.