Last Seen:

October 9, 2018

Quezon City

Reynaldo Aruta Brillante, Jr., a.k.a. Reymond Aruta, 17 years old, an out-of-school youth, and a resident of 20 M. Rivera Street, San Roque 2, Barangay Bagong Pag-asa, Quezon City, was abducted on October 9, 2018, 1:30 a.m. at Trinoma, Quezon City, by seven unidentified members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) aboard a white van. With the police was a certain "Inday," an acquaintance of Brillante.

According to Brillante's mother, Herminia Aruta, she learned that hours before her son went to Trinoma, he was with his girlfriend, Jagonoy. Brillante told Jagonoy that he will go to Trinoma to meet with someone.  On October 9, around 6:30 a.m., Herminia received information that there was an incident of killing in their area. Herminia was working as a house helper for a family in Dasmariñas Village, Makati, and did not go home very often. The news about the killing incident worried her. She feared that something must have happened to her son. She tried to call him but was not able to reach him. Herminia called her live-in partner, Pepito Navarrete, to ask if he knew where Brillante was. He said that he did not know his whereabouts. In the afternoon of October 9, Herminia tried to call her son, but she could not reach him. Herminia then sent a text message to Jagonoy and asked her where her son was. Jagonoy replied that Brillante left their house in the evening of October 8 to meet with Inday. Herminia tried to contact her son again, but to no avail. On October 13, Herminia went home and was able to confirm that her son was indeed missing. Herminia said that it was on October 3 when she last saw her son. She was still able to talk to him on October 8 because he was asking her for money. Herminia even sent him PhP 300.00.

On October 13, Herminia tried to look for Inday. She learned from Inday's relatives that she was detained at the Masambong Police Station in Quezon City. At around 11:00 a.m., Herminia went there to see Inday. When Inday saw Herminia, the former told Herminia that she knows her. She then asked for Herminia's forgiveness. As she was speaking with Herminia, a policeman approached them. He asked why Herminia was looking for her. Inday replied that Herminia was just checking on her. When the police left them, Inday continued to tell Herminia that Brillante was already dead and that the police beheaded him. Herminia asked her where her son was buried, but Inday said that she could not tell her because she was still detained and her life may be at stake.

In the afternoon of October 15, Herminia returned to the police station to talk with Inday. That time, Inday denied knowing anything about what happened to Brillante.  Herminia continued to look for her son. She went to almost all the precincts in Manila, but everyone whom she talked with told her that Brillante was not in their custody. Herminia also went to different hospitals, morgues, and funeral parlors, but she was not able to find her son. 

On November 19, Herminia filed a blotter report on her missing son at Camp Karingal. 

Brillante was last seen wearing a red long-sleeved shirt, gray shorts, and Sandugo rubber slippers. He has a mole above his lips. He has a small tattoo on his finger. He has two earrings. He has a burn mark on the bone of his right wrist. He also has a scar from an appendicitis operation in 2005. When he went missing, he had with him a wallet with a reggae design. 

Herminia wants to find her son. If indeed he is already dead, she wants to give him a decent burial.

Reynaldo Aruta Brellates  Jr. was 17 years old when he was forcibly disappeared. His mother, Herminia, recalls him to be a loving and considerate son, she specifically remembers how he would always lie beside her to sleep.

He loved to play basketball and to listen to music. He’s known to be very close to his family and very friendly to his co-workers.

Despite hardships in life, Herminia fondly talks about how on her days off from work, Reynaldo will always find time to have a meal outside with her. 
Whenever Herminia sees childhood photos of Reynaldo, or even young men that seem to be his age, she misses him even more. Her persevering wish is that with the help of God and the people around her, that Reynaldo is always safe wherever he is.  
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