Human rights alliance KARAPATAN raised concerns over due process and transparency in two separate incidents involving state security forces — the detention of youth cultural worker Charlize Garzon in Occidental Mindoro and the killing of worker James Quiñones in Sorsogon.

The group said Garzon, 23, has been held for more than 48 hours without clear charges following her arrest by soldiers from the 68th Infantry Battalion on 29 March.

“We demand that Garzon be released unconditionally,” KARAPATAN said in a statement.

“We raise the alarm on the possibility that Charlize is being subjected to torture and other forms of cruel and inhumane treatment to force her to admit to crimes she did not commit,” it added.

The group also questioned the posting of a photo online showing Garzon beside a rifle. It said this contributed to portraying her as an armed individual despite the absence of charges.

“They have violated Garzon’s rights since day one… portraying her as an armed individual through a staged photograph and building the narrative that she is a terrorist,” the group said.

Meanwhile, KARAPATAN also raised concerns over the killing of Quiñones, 23, which the military said resulted from an encounter with the New People’s Army on March 25.

Quiñones’ family maintained he was unarmed and heading to his child’s moving-up ceremony.

“Had the family not immediately spoken out… the military would have continued pushing its narrative and blaming the victim,” KARAPATAN said.

The group labeled the remarks of the AFP on the incident as “proud murderers.”

KARAPATAN called for an independent investigation into the Sorsogon incident and renewed its call for Garzon’s release.

“These cases reflect the continuing pattern of human rights violations… which targets civilians while evading accountability,” the group said, adding that accountability mechanisms must function to address these concerns.