By Leila Salaverria
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 22:05:00 07/21/2008
MANILA, Philippines — Fearing her 17-year-old daughter has been brainwashed by the military, Maria Gumanoy ran to the Supreme Court for help Monday to gain custody of Fatima Gumanoy, who chose to stay with her 21-year-old sister who has been held by the armed forces.
Maria filed a petition before the tribunal assailing the Court of Appeals’ dismissal last week of her habeas corpus pleading to get Fatima from the military, after the teenager testified that she was not being held against her will and that she wanted to stay with sister Rose Anne Gumanoy.
The 21-year-old Rose Anne has been charged with rebellion and is with the military. She earlier appeared in a press conference to deny allegations by the human rights group Karapatan that she and her sister were abducted by the army.
She said she and Fatima left the Karapatan safe house and sought help from her soldier friends after her sister got sick.
Maria maintained that her daughters were kidnapped. Maria is the widow of slain peasant leader Eduardo Gumanoy, who was ambushed with Eden Marcellana in Mindoro. Rose Anne and Fatima are their children.
In her petition to the high court, Maria contested the appellate court’s ruling that Fatima could choose where she wanted to go, citing her status as a minor, who should be under parental authority.
