Maryland woman doing humanitarian work in Philippines is in military custody, her friends say

A community event at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) on Wednesday raised awareness for a Maryland woman who organizers say is being held by the Filipino government.

Friends of Chantal Anicoche say she was in the Philippines doing humanitarian work and is now in military custody.

"Very worried for her"

Anicoche's friends describe her as the life of the party and very passionate, particularly about humanitarian issues in the Philippines.

They say she was in Mindoro, a rural island with a large indigenous population, when the Armed Forces of the Philippines dropped bombs and opened fire there on New Year's Day.

 "I'm very, very worried for her," said Rika Ramos, who is a friend of Anicoche. "When I first heard the news that she was missing, I was devastated. I was crying."

Emerging from a hole in the Phillipines

In a social media video posted by the country's military, Anicoche was seen emerging from a hole where the Filipino government says she was for eight days after the attack. The video was shared Jan. 8.

"The military was pressured, we believed into surfacing her, and they posted a video online that many human rights advocates, humanitarians, believe is possibly staged," said Gordon Mutch, a member of the Baltimore Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines.

"I was actually glad that she was alive, but it was hard to see her in those conditions," said Frances Quijano, who is a friend of Anicoche.

Little information on her condition

Days later, the Armed Forces posted on social media again, saying Anicoche was "voluntarily" staying in the Philippines for medical treatment, which her friends called suspicious.

"I don't believe it for a second," Ramos said. "If they wanted to be sure that she was voluntarily staying there, why don't we hear it from her own mouth? Why do they keep speaking for her?"

Her friends say there is little information about her condition and whereabouts because the government is limiting what information is shared. They also say she was only found with bug bites which shouldn't require extensive treatment.

"It's a little worrying, because I don't really believe that she's voluntarily staying there, and it makes me a little bit more concerned about what her true conditions are," Quijano said.

WJZ has not heard back from her family, but some of her friends say they are asking for privacy. 

"It's really tough to have your daughter be missing and then be found in military captivity," Mutch said. "I can't imagine that. I think I've known her for almost five years and it's really been the toughest week of my life."

Call to bring Anicoche home

Now, Anicoche's friends are calling on members of Congress pressure the state department to bring her back home.

WJZ reached out to the U.S. State Department, the U.S. Embassy in Manila. As of Wednesday night, neither agency has commented.

Additionally, WJZ reached out to members of the Maryland Congressional Delegation who could not confirm if her family had reached out for support.