Arrest and detention rampant under the Aquino administration

Delegates of Manilakbayan join families of political prisoners on a protest action in front of Camp Crame on the opening day of Human Rights Week (Dec.01 – Dec. 10, 2012)

News Release

December 1, 2012

 

Political prisoners to fast until December 10

Arrest and detention rampant under the Aquino administration

Rights group SELDA criticized the brazen impunity under the Aquino administration with the increasing number of political prisoners, continued filing of trumped up charges and the brute force inflicted upon so-called enemies of the state.

“The Aquino government may deny the existence of political prisoners but it continues on a rampage with the successive arrest of political prisoners. A total of 123 prisoners of conscience have been arrested under Noynoy Aquino’s regime. Forty-four of them were arrested in this year alone,” said Angelina Ipong, SELDA secretary general. She added that the Aquino government has also denied the release of 14 consultants of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, who are involved in the peace talks with the Philippine government.

Political prisoner Ramon Patriarca, a consultant of the National Democratic Front, begins his hunger strike until December 10 to demand his immediate release or at the least that he should be immediately transferred to a regular civilian detention center. Patriarca is the only political prisoner who remains in a military stockade in the AFP-Central Command in Camp Lapu-lapu, Lahug, Cebu City. “We continue with our demand for their urgent release.”

In a protest action in front of Camp Crame, SELDA, together with relatives of political prisoners made big “peace cranes,” an origami artwork of the bird symbolizing their demand for justice and freedom for all political prisoners.

The human rights organization lambasted the foul schemes of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in identifying its target for arrest and detention. It highlighted the case of Rolly Panesa, a security guard who was mistaken for Benjamin Mendoza, an alleged high-ranking New People’s Army rebel. “By virtue of a mole at the back of Rolly’s neck, military soldiers insisted that they had caught a big fish. This is very dangerous for ordinary folks. A common distinguishing mark between you and a target could mean a drastic change in your life.” Ipong continued.

Rolly Panesa, together with his common-law-wife, Marites Chioco, Marites’ daughter and son-in-law were only on their way home when they were suddenly dragged into waiting vehicles on the street by armed men on October 5, 2012. “Next thing he knew, Rollywas blindfolded, handcuffed and beaten black and blue for the next three days. Now he has the burden of proving that he is not the person his military captors earned P5.6M for.” Ipong protested.

Trumped up charges have likewise continued to be employed in the arrest and detention of human rights defenders and community workers. “The filing of trumped up charges against political prisoners is a common practice of the state and it is used without let-up by the Aquino government to silence its critics, more so that the  military is hungrily running after the hefty rewards of catching its targets.” Ipong declared.

The ex-detainee expressed particular concern over the recent DILG-DND memo containing the list of alleged rebel leaders with a P467-million reward for their capture. “This is a hit-list. The reward is an attractive motivation for interested individuals, especially military personnel, to produce by hook or by crook these rebels, whether or not they are really that person. Moreover, worse things could happen to targets, like being liquidated or disappeared.” Ipong declared. “These actions will definitely not help in pushing for the peace negotiations to proceed.”

“Peace is not part of the Aquino government’s agenda, as it continues to deceive the Filipino people that it is sincere in finding a solution to their economic, social, cultural, civil and political problems. Instead of releasing political prisoners, Aquino is set on arresting and detaining more of its critics with this latest act. But we will continue with our campaign to free all political prisoners,” Ipong concluded.

Political Prisoners in detention centers in Metro Manila and other regions will be staging a one-day fast today, while others will extend theirs until December 10, International Human Rights Day. ###

Reference: Angelina Ipong, SELDA secretary general 0949-9587373

Jigs Clamor, Deputy Secretary General, Karapatan

Mirasol Balaston, wife of missing Felix Balaston and also a victim of forced evacuation, teach delegates of Manilakbayan and relatives of Moro politcal prisoners how to make origami peace cranes

Angie Ipong, Secretary General, SELDA

Delegates of Manilakbayan join families of political prisoners on a protest action in front of Camp Crame on the opening day of Human Rights Week (Dec.01 – Dec. 10, 2012)

Protestant bishops echo political detainees call for freedom

News Release

July 21, 2012

Eight Bishops from the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) expressed support to the ongoing hunger strike/fasting of political prisoners. In a statement, the Bishops urged Pres. Noynoy Aquino “to consider the plight of political detainees under his administration and their call for a general, unconditional and omnibus amnesty.”

The hunger strike/fasting which started last July 16 is on its fifth day. On July 19, some 18 political prisoners in Metro Manila, Agusan del Sur, Cebu and Tagum City heightened their action by going  on hunger strike to highlight the call for their release. Five hundred (500) inmates at the Compostela Valley Provincial Rehabilitation Center joined the political prisoners in sympathy. Political prisoners in 10 jails throughout the country have joined the hunger strike/fast.  

The UCCP Bishops said they are “compelled to amplify” the on-going hunger strike of political prisoners in the “face of such callous dismissal by the Aquino Administration”, referring to the earlier pronouncement of Malacañang that “there are no political prisoners” in the country. 

They also called for the release the 14 National Democratic Front (NDF) peace consultants who are covered by the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and NDF Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG).   “As Church advocates committed to the peace process, we view such action as a significant step in bringing forward and revitalizing the GPH-NDFP peace talks.” 

In a separate statement, NDF peace consultant Ramon Patriarca criticized the Aquino government because “it has not done enough to comply with its commitments in the many bilateral agreements it forged with the NDF.  One cannot but suspect that the June 15 Oslo initiative was meant only as another ‘pogi point’ for the president’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) or, as a mere posturing preparatory to ending altogether the GPH-NDF peace negotiations consistent with his Oplan Bayanihan counter-revolutionary program.” Patriarca is a political prisoner at the Camp Lapu-Lapu, AFP Central Command headquarters in Lahug, Cebu City. He is among the political prisoners who are on hunger strike. 

The UCCP Bishops who signed the statement of support were: Bishops Reuel Norman O. Marigza, General Secretary of the UCCP, Elorde M. Sambat, North Luzon Jurisdictional Area, Roel P. Mendoza, Middle Luzon Jurisdictional Area, Arturo R. Asi, South Luzon Jurisdictional Area, Jaime M. Moriles, West Visayas Juridictional Area, Dulce Pia-Rose, East Visayas Jurisdictional Area, Melzar D. Labuntog, Northwest Mindanao Jurisdictional Area, Modesto D. Villasanta, Southeast Mindanao Jurisdictional Area. ###

Reference:    Cristina “Tinay” Palabay, Spokesperson, 0917-5003879
              Angge Santos, Media Liaison, 0918-9790580

Statement of Ramon Patriarca re Joining of a Nationally-Coordinated Activity

STATEMENT OF RAMON PATRIARCA RE JOINING OF A NATIONALLY-COORDINATED FASTING ACTIVITY ON JULY 16, 2012

This Monday, (July 16, 2012), I am joining more than 360 of my fellow political prisoners all over the country in a nationally-coordinated fast to once again call on the Aquino Government to release all political prisoners through a general, unconditional and omnibus amnesty.

Ramon Patriarca

This should also remind the Aquino Government of its commitment to free all political prisoners in accordance with Part III, Article G of the GPH-NDF Comprehensive Agreement on Respect of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL), which states that the government ‘shall abide by its doctrine laid down in People vs. Hernandez (99 Phils. 515, July 18, 1956), as further elaborated in People vs Geronimo (100 Phils. 90, October 13, 1956), and shall forthwith review the cases of all political prisoners or detainees who have been charged, detained or convicted contrary to this doctrine, and shall immediately release them’.

The Aquino Government’s treatment of political prisoners has been dismal.  It has refused to fulfill its promise in December 2010 to start the process of freeing all political prisoners by conducting a ‘thorough review’ of the circumstances and cases of political prisoners.  Worse, even without conducting the said review, it declared in September last year that there are no more political prisoners in the country.  Yet, it continues to persecute the likes of detained NDF Consultant Alan Jasminez, who was treacherously transferred to Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City last June 29 for exposing the poor jail conditions and the illegal activities of the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) at the Camp Crame Custodial Center.

This is why the GPH-NDF Joint Statement issued from Oslo, Norway last June 15 offers not much hope.  The  GPH has simply not done enough to comply with its commitments in the many bilateral agreements it forged with the NDF.  One cannot but suspect that the June 15 Oslo initiative was meant only as another ‘pogi point’ for the president’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) next week, or, as a mere posturing preparatory to ending altogether the GPH-NDF peace negotiations consistent with his Oplan Bayanihan counter-revolutionary program.

I therefore add my voice to the clamor of political prisoners and human rights advocates here and abroad to improve the human rights situation and advance the cause of just and lasting peace in the country through the following steps of the Aquino Government :

1. Process the release of all political prisoners towards a general, unconditional, and omnibus amnesty proclamation, consistent with the GPH-NDF CARHRIHL and the Hernandez Political Offense Doctrine.
2. Immediately release on humanitarian grounds some 60 political prisoners who have been sickly for sometime now due to deplorable jail conditions.
3. Immediately release Alan Jasminez, Tirso Alcantara and 12 other NDF consultants/personnel whose continued detention violate the GPH-NDF Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG)
4. Surface abducted-and-disappeared NDF consultants/personnel Leo Velasco, Prudencio Calubid and Rogelio Calubad.
5. Appropriately punish human rights violators ex-President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, ex-General Jovito Palparan, and their murderous gang.
6. Resume the GPH-NDF peace negotiations based on past bilateral agreements, and focused on the draft GPH-NDF Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms (CASER).

SGD. Ramon Patriarca

Political Prisoner

Camp Lapu-Lapu

AFP Central Command Headquarters

Lahug, Cebu City

July 13, 2012

Ayuno hanggang SONA ni PNoy, ikinasa ng mga bilanggong pulitikal

by Macky Macaspac

Ikinasa ng mga bilanggong pulitikal ang isang pambansang koordinadong pag-aayuno bilang protesta sa nalalapit na ikatlong State of the Nation Address (SONA) ni Pangulong Aquino.

Nagsimula kahapon, Hulyo 16, hanggang araw ng SONA, lumahok sa pag-aayuno ang mga bilanggong pulitikal sa Camp Crame Detention Center, Calbayog Sub-Provincial Jail, Compostela Valley Provincial Jail, Central Command, Lahug, Cebu, Misamis Oriental, Panay, Cebu, Calbayog, Davao City at sa iba pang bilangguan sa buong bansa.

Sinabayan naman ng mga dating bilanggong pulitikal na miyembro ng Samahan ng Ex-Detainees Laban sa Detensyon at Aresto (Selda), mga kaanak ng mga biktima ng paglabag sa karapatang pantao at mga nagtataguyod ng karapatan ang pag-aayuno o fasting. Bilang pakikiisa, nagpiket sila sa harapan ng Department of Justice (DOJ) at sa harapan ng Kampo Crame kung saan nakabilanggo ang ilang konsultant ng National Democratic Front (NDF).

Muling nanawagan ang grupong Selda para sa general,unconditonal at omnibus amnesty sa lahat ng mga bilanggong pulitikal. Nagsagawa din ang grupo ng solidarity fasting para sa mga bilanggong pulitkal sa iba’t ibang panig ng bansa na nagsasagawa ng isang linggong pag-aayuno hanggang State of the Nation Address ni Pangulong Aquino.

Panawagan ng mga grupo na palayain ang lahat ng mga bilanggong pulitikal. Ayon sa Selda, may kabuuang bilang na 385 ang mga bilanggong pulitikal. Umabot sa 107 ang ilegal na inaresto at ikinulong sa loob lamang ng dalawang taong panunungkulan ni Aquino.

“Ipinagpatuloy lamang ni PNoy (Aquino) ang taktika ng Oplan Bantay Laya ni (dating Pang.) Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, sa kanyang Oplan Bayanihan,” ani Angie Ipong, pangkalahatang kalihim ng Selda.  Patuloy umano ang pagsampa ng gawa-gawang mga kaso laban sa mga aktibista para supilin ang mga kritiko ng gobyerno.

Lumahok din sa pambansang pag-aayuno ang mga bilanggong konsultant ng NDF na sina Renante Gamara, Eduardo Serrano at Eduardo Sarmiento. Sa kanilang pahayag, sinabi nila na pinagkakaitan sila ng karapatan matapos nilang ibulgar ang pagmamaltrato sa mga kapwa bilanggong mga Muslim.

Kinondena rin nila ang pagmamaltrato sa iba pang mga konsultant tulad ni Tirso Alcantara na nakakulong sa Fort Bonifacio at si Ramon Patriarca, na nilipat sa isang kampo ng militar matapos mag-organisa siya ng protesta para manawagan taasan ang alawans ng mga bilanggo sa Cebu Provincial Jail.

Si Randall Echanis, ikatlong nominado ng Anakpawis Party-list at dating bilanggong pulitikal sa piket sa harapan ng Department of Justice.

Hinikayat ni Ipong si Pangulong Aquino na palayain na ang mga bilanggong pulitikal sa pamamagitan ng pagbibigay ng general, unconditional at omnibus amnesty.

“Wala kaming makitang dahilan kung ano ang hinihintay ng gobyerno. Malinaw naman na lahat ng mga bilanggong pulitikal, laluna ang mga maysakit, matatanda, mga matatagal na sa bilangguan at iyong mga mayroong joint agreement on safety and immunity (Jasig) ay napalaya na dapat noon pa,” aniya.

Dismayado rin ang grupo sa pagsasawalang-bahala sa kanila ni Aquino, na anak ng dating bilanggong pulitikal, samantalang ang mga nagdaang administrasyon ay nagawang magpalaya.

Dapat umanong magkaroon ng “political will” ang pangulo para mabigyan ng amnestiya ang mga bilanggong pulitikal.

Ex-political detainees, kin join solidarity fast for the release of political prisoners, Exposes ill treatment of prisoners

Former political detainees, relatives, and supporters of political prisoners on Tuesday held another picket protest this time at Camp Crame on the second day of their fast to call for the immediate release of 385 political prisoners detained nationwide.

Members of Samahan ng Ex-Detainees Laban sa Detensyon at Aresto (Selda), Hustisya, Karapatan and other people’s organizations trooped to Camp Crame, where some political prisoners are currently detained (Renante Gamara, Eduardo Serrano and Eduardo Sarmiento).

“We were deprived of our rights when we exposed the anomalies and ill treatment of staffs of BJMP, PNP and LGU’s to other prisoners especially Muslim prisoners,” Political prisoners  in Camp Crame,  Renante Gamara, Eduardo Serrano and Eduardo Sarmiento said in a statement as they join the Nationally Coordinated Fasting of political prisoners in various jails all over the country.

In the said statement, they condemned the military guards’ ill treatment to their fellow political prisoner Tirso Alcantara in Fort Bonifacio. “He is being poisoned in small doses,” said the three. They also condemned the transferring of Ramon Patriarca to a military detention after he successfully organized a protest to increase food allowances of prisoners in Cebu Provincial Jail.

Selda secretary general Angie Ipong urged President Benigno Aquino III to grant an immediate, general, unconditional and omnibus amnesty to free all political prisoners in the country.

“We find no reason why the government is waiting for when clearly all the political prisoners especially the sick, the elderly, those in jail too long, and those covered by the JASIG should have been released earlier,” Ipong said.

Political prisoners in different detention centers in the country – Calbayog Sub-Provincial Jail, Compostela Valley Provincial Jail, Central Command, Lahug, Cebu,  Misamis  Oriental, Panay, Cebu, Calbayog, Davao City, are currently until PNoy’s delivers his SONA.

Selda said that of the 385 political prisoners, 107 are arbitrary arrested and detained under the PNoy’s administration. “PNoy just continued GMA’s Oplan Bantay Laya tactics under the new Oplan Bayanihan to file trumped-up charges against political activists because the government wanted to quell dissent.” Ipong added.

Ipong urged Aquino to have the “political will” to grant amnesty to all political prisoners in the country. ###

Reference         : Angie Ipong, Secretary General
Contact Number    : 094995887373

Amelita Tomada, (wife of Dario Tomada, political
prisoner detained in Manila City Jail) holds an empty plate to
symbolize her support in the fasting being held by the political
prisoners in different detention centers in the country.

Angie Ipong (in orange t-shirt)
a former political prisoner and secretary general of SELDA joined by
Bea Arellano of Kadamay staged the protest in front of Camp Crame.

Ipe Soco reads the statement of
Renante Gamara, Eduardo Serrano and Eduardo Sarmiento, political
prisoners detained in PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame, QC.

Alan Jazmines stealthily transferred to Bicutan jail without notice and valid reason—Karapatan

Two years of Aquino Presidency: Increasing repression of political prisoners

Alan Jazmines stealthily  transferred to Bicutan jail without notice and valid reason—Karapatan

Government authorities should immediately explain the sudden, stealthy transfer of political prisoner Alan Jazmines from the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center in Camp Crame to Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan early this morning of June 29.

Marie Hilao-Enriquez, chairperson of Karapatan slammed the move “because it reeks of treachery. Alan Jazmines was not even allowed to call his legal counsel and the Custodial Center has not provided any reason for the haste in Jasmines’s transfer.”

“The chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) should likewise answer for the PNP’s action. We learned that she was with Supt. Cesar Magsino, chief of the PNP Custodial Center, when Jazmines was transported to Bicutan. The CHR chairperson could have at the very least facilitated Jazmines’s request to talk to his lawyers,” added Hilao-Enriquez.

Earlier, Karapatan submitted to CHR complaints on the ill-treatment and increasing restrictions of political prisoners at the PNP Custodial Center and at the Fort Bonifacio Headquarters, PA Custodial Center, 191^stMPBn., HHSG, PA where Tirso Alcantara, another NDF consultant, remains in solitary confinement for over a year and a half already, in complete violation of RA 7438, the law that supposedly enumerates the rights of a detained, accused person.

Alan Jasminez is among the 14 peace consultants of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) currently detained in various jails in the country, whose releases are being sought for by the NDFP Panel.  Ramon Patriarca, another NDFP detained consultant in Cebu experienced a similar treatment.  On January 25, 2012 he was, without notice, taken straight to a military stockade in the AFP-Central Command in Camp Lapu-Lapu, Lahug, Cebu City after attending a hearing and did not even have time to pack his things.

In the past, several attempts were made to isolate Alan Jazmines from his co-detainees in Camp Crame.  Jazmines recently figured in the news when he wrote a letter to the Department of Justice, CHR and Karapatan saying that “The FBI maintains an office inside the detention center itself and in a unit in a nearby condominium…”

Hilao-Enriquez said that “the pattern of repression of political prisoners is becoming evident as shown in the case of Jazmines, Alcantara and Patriarca. For two years, Aquino has not lifted a finger to act positively on the situation of the political prisoners who are unjustly detained. He has instead allowed the plight of the political prisoners to worsen, to the point of even betraying and forgetting his own father’s sufferings in jail.” ###

Reference:    Marie Hilao Enriquez, Chairperson, 0917-5616800
              Angge Santos, Media Liaison, 0918-9790580