MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / Aug. 16, 2013) – A Filipino human rights group called Karapatan has called on the Aquino government to free all political activists languishing in jails across the country on fabricated charges.
Cristina Palabay, Karapatan Secretary-General, said a former church worker Anecita Rojo, who was imprisoned had been released on bail by the Cadiz City Regional Trial Court in Negros Occidental province.
She said Rojo, who used to be a church worker in the Bacolod Diocese, was arrested on December 7, 2012 for murder charges and her husband has been accused as a communist rebel behind ambuscades in the province.
Her co-accused, Zara Alvarez, a former Karapatan human rights worker, and Elizar Nabas, member of National Federation of Sugar Workers (NFSW), are still detained.
“The recent court decisions on the charges filed against activists prove our claim that they were illegally arrested and detained because of fabricated cases. Other similar cases should likewise be dismissed and those languishing in jail for the same reason should be immediately released,” Palabay said in a statement sent to the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner.
She said the Regional Trial Court of Lagawe in Ifugao province also granted the Motion to Conduct Preliminary Investigation on fabricated murder charges filed against trade union leaders Roy Velez of Kilusang Mayo Uno-National Capital Region and Amelita Bravante, of Defend Job Philippines, and Randy Vegas and Raul Camposano, of Courage.
The decision though did not apply to two other political prisoners Rene Boy Abiva, of ACT Teacher’s party list, and Virgilio Corpuz, of Piston-Cagayan Valley. All were suspected as members of the New People’s Army.
“With the court decision, all the rest of political prisoners who were falsely charged with the same cases should be immediately released. We demand the immediate release of Zara Alvarez, Elizar Nabas, Randy Vegas, Raul, Camposano, Rene Boy Abiva and Virgilio Corpuz,” Palabay said.
She said the filing of fabricated charges on activists and community leaders is part of President Benigno Aquino’s Oplan Bayanihan to silence his critics.
Oplan Bayan refers to the government’s anti-insurgency campaign.
Palabay said they monitored 430 political prisoners all over the country and that 43 of them are sickly and 29 others are elderly and that 34 are women.
There are 136 persons who were illegally arrested and detained under the Aquino regime, she said. “Karapatan reiterates its call to immediately release all political prisoners,” she said.
The Philippine Army said Karapatan is only one of many organizations and fronts believed being used to be a front for the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing, the NPA.
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