Political prisoners go on fast, call for release and end to criminalization of political acts

In time for the International Day of Solidarity for Political Prisoners today, human rights group, Karapatan hold protest at the Manila RTC for the hearing of Tiamzon et al, at the Justice Department in Manila. PHOTO by Kathy Yamzon

News Release

3 December 2014

Countdown to International Human Rights Day

Political prisoners in the Philippines launched a seven-day fast today, as members of the International League of People’s Struggle (ILPS) commemorate the International Day of Solidarity with Political Prisoners. The fast will last until December 10, International Human Rights Day.

Close to a hundred political prisoners in different jails in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao announced participation to the fast to call for their release and as a gesture of solidarity to various people’s protest actions leading to December 10.

Those fasting are political prisoners in various detention centers in Metro Manila, at the Special Intensive Care Area-Metro Manila District Jail (SICA-MMDJ) and Taguig City Jail-Female Dorm in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City; New Bilibid Prisons-Maximum Security Compound in Muntinlupa City; and PNP Custodial Center in Quezon City.

In the provinces, fasting political prisoners are those detained in the following jails: Aurora Provincial Jail in Southern Tagalog; Ormoc City Jail, Tacloban City Jail, and Dancalan Provincial Jail in Bobon, Northern Samar and Bohol Detention and Rehabilitation Center in the Visayas; and in Valencia City Jail, Malaybalay City Jail, Gingoog City Jail, Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center in Misamis Oriental, and Cagayan de Oro City in Mindanao. Jailed peace consultants of the National Democratic Front are also joining the fast.

Some political prisoners will also hold noise barrages and hanging of streamers as protest. These activities culminate on Human Rights Day, “as their way of highlighting the government’s practice of criminalizing political actions and filing trumped up charges against those perceived as ‘enemies of the state’,” said Jigs Clamor, SELDA national coordinator.

As support to the political prisoners, various progressive organizations led by Karapatan and SELDA held picket actions today at the Manila Regional Trial Court and at the Department of Justice.

The protesters first went to the Manila Regional Trial Court for the hearing of the multiple murder case against peace consultants Benito Tiamzon, Wilma Austria-Tiamzon, Randall Echanis, Raphael Baylosis, Vicente Ladlad, and Makabayan Coalition Chair Satur Ocampo.  The case is considered the “mother” of all trumped-up charges implicating Ocampo et al in a supposed mass grave found in Monterico Village, Baybay Leyte. All those accused in the case, except the Tiamzon couple are on conditional bail.

Joined in by Manilakbayan from Mindanao and Karapatan-Southern Tagalog, the protesters marched to the Justice Department. “This department cannot simply say they cannot do anything on these trumped up cases lodged against political prisoners,” Clamor said. “The military weaves stories with prosecutors so they can arrest and detain people who are actively defending their rights and their communities,” he added.

As of November 2014, there are 491 political prisoners, 220 of them were arrested under the BS Aquino regime. There are 43 female political prisoners, 53 are ailing, 42 are elderly, and six are minors.

“The political prisoners are not the enemy of Filipino people. The plunderers and those who perpetuate human rights violations, killings, disappearances, torture and harassment are those who should be jailed. We need the political prisoners back in the streets and in the communities to continue their selfless work and advocacies. They should be immediately released,” he concluded. ###

Reference: Jigs Clamor, SELDA national coordinator, 0999-7721233

Political prisoner Torres to give birth soon

Press Release | Karapatan.org

Pregnant political prisoner Maria Miradel Torres

Political prisoner Maria Miradel Torres, 26, is expected to deliver her baby today, November 19, 2014. She was brought to the Philippine General Hospital yesterday for a check-up but she was immediately admitted after undergoing medical examination.

Torres, a member of Gabriela in Mauban, Quezon, was four-months pregnant when she was illegally arrested on June 20, 2014 in Lucena by joint elements of the Philippine National Police Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, and Southern Luzon Command (SoLCOM) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. She is charged with murder and frustrated murder at the Infanta Regional Trial Court, Quezon province. The alias warrant of arrest used to “capture” Torres was issued by the court only on June 20, 2014, on the day of her arrest.

“Torres should be immediately released for just and humanitarian reasons. Aside from the utterly baseless charges against her, the BS Aquino government is committing further injustice by depriving her and her baby a healthy and nurturing environment in keeping her detained,” said Cristina Palabay, Karapatan Secretary General.

According to Torres, she was not examined by BJMP Doctor Dr. Jaime Claveria Jr. since she was transferred to the Taguig City Jail-Female Dorm on June 25. Despite doctor’s order for complete bed rest due to threatened abortion, Torres was transferred to Taguig City Jail in Camp Bagong Diwa from Camp Gen. Guillermo Nakar Station Hospital at the Solcom headquarters in Lucena City.

At the TCJ-FD, Torres shares the detention cell with three other inmates. One of the inmates reportedly has tuberculosis. Torres was assigned to sleep on the third deck of the bed. BJMP personnel confiscated her medicine and supplements for pregnancy upon admission at the Taguig City Jail.

On November 7, Judge Arnelo Mesa of the Regional Trial Court Branch 65 in Infanta issued a joint order directing Jail Warden Jundelina Jagunap to “bring the person of the accused detainee Maria Miradel Torres to her alleged OB Gyne Dr. Melissa Amosco for her medical check-up and likewise said warden is ordered also to bring the person of the accused to said hospital (PGH) whenever her due date for the delivery of her baby will arrive to be properly provided with appropriate number of jail guards/escorts and to stay at the said hospital for one week including her delivery date and thereafter to immediately return her to her detention facility.”

Said court order however was only received on November 17. Torres has been suffering from cough and fever since November 15.

On November 18, Torres was brought to the PGH along with 10 jail guards. She underwent ultrasound procedure for the first time since her arrest. Torres is expecting a baby boy.

Torres is among the 487 political prisoners in the country to date, 53 of them are ailing and 40 are elderly. More than 200 of them were illegally arrested under the BS Aquino administration.

On the evening of June 20, 2014, elements from the PNP and Solcom forcibly entered the house in Ilayang Ilam, Lucena City, Quezon province where Torres stayed. A policeman said Torres was under arrest for being a member of the New People’s Army (NPA) using the aliases “Alex,” and “Sydney.” Torres insisted to see the warrant of arrest but she was not shown any.

Torres, who was then four-months pregnant, was confined at a hospital in Quezon province from June 11 to 18 due to profuse bleeding. During her stay at the hospital, several men inquired about Torres. A female who introduced herself as “Flor” and who claimed to be the provincial governor’s aide offered assistance. On June 18, Torres was discharged from the hospital and went home to Ilayang Iyam. While traveling home, she and her companion noticed men following them.

While at the TCJ-FD, Torres was brought to Taguig Hospital due to continuous heavy bleeding. She was hospitalized from July 3 to August 11. She was brought back to the hospital for a follow-up check-up twice after her confinement but she did not undergo ultrasound procedure.

“The Aquino administration should release Torres and all political prisoners, especially those who are sick and elderly. The charges against them should be withdrawn or dismissed. The filing of trumped up charges as a policy of the BS Aquino government is an attack against the fundamental right of individuals and peoples to liberty and the people’s exercise of political and civil rights, as it is a desperate tactic to quell the people’s rising discontent against his administration,” Palabay ended. ###

Political Prisoners of Batangas call for Donation

Friends and families!

This coming December 1-10, 2014 marks the commemoration of the International Human Rights Week. In line with the upcoming event, we the political prisoners in Batangas are planning to launch two major activities to raise the awareness of our fellow inmates about their human rights.

One is the “Mural Making Activity” where in we want to encourage all our fellow inmates to express themselves through painting and at the same time be educated about the human rights situation in the country and to be aware of their rights as an inmate. Another is to launch a “Gift Giving Activity”, a reach-out project from the initiatives of the political prisoners in Batangas, to help all the detainees of the Batangas Provincial Jail in their basic necessities and at the same time, to express our gratitude for the years that they have been supporting us in our plight.

In line with this, we are humbly knocking on your generous hearts to seek for help. For the Mural-making activity, we are in need of latex or semi-latex paint (different colors), paintbrushes and paint thinners. For our Gift-giving activity, we are in need of dry goods like noodles, sardines, coffee, and toiletries like soap, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrush, etc good for 850 inmates.

For those who are willing to help, we accept help in kind or in cash. Your humungous help can be sent through LBC at this address (Maricon Montajes, Batangas Provincial Jail, Brgy. Cuta, Batangas City). We are hoping for your most positive response. And through these efforts we are hopeful that it will help hasten our freedom. Thank you very much for your generosity and support! Please send us a message if ever you are interested to help.

Maricon Montajes and the Batangas Political Prisoners

Immediately release ailing political prisoner Benny Barid—SELDA

The Samahan ng Ex-Detainees Laban sa Detensyon at Aresto (SELDA) calls on the Department of Justice to immediately release political prisoner Benny Barid, 54, on humanitarian grounds.

Barid was rushed to the New Bilibid Prisons (NBP) Hospital-Maximum Security due to chronic asthmatic bronchitis with emphysema.  Barid has been going in and out of the NBP hospital for his asthma attacks since 2010, because of unhealthy prison conditions. The asthma attacks became more frequent for lack of proper and adequate medical attention that has now worsened to chronic asthmatic bronchitis.

Barid cannot stand by himself. He has been on wheelchair and is very weak and thin. Fellow political prisoners are helping him for his medical needs. His further stay at the NBP Hospital made him more vulnerable to various communicable diseases.

There are now 504 political prisoners; and of the 504, 53 are with various ailments. Like Barid, they should be immediately released on humanitarian ground. Several other ailing political prisoners died while in detention because of lack of proper medical attention, among them Crisanto Fat and Alison Alcantara.

A victim of trumped up charges, Barid was arrested in July 2006. He was accused of involvement in an alleged massacre that supposed to happen in 2004 in Ilocos Norte. For this, he was sentenced with three counts of life imprisonment.

Prior to this, Barid’s child was hostaged by the military to force him to surrender. ###

Pahayag ng mga Bilanggong Pulitikal mula sa New Bilibid Prison

Suot ang kulay peach na arm band bilang pagsuporta sa tatlong impeachment complain na isinampa laban kay Noynoy Aquino, nagmartsa sa loob ng New Bilibid Prison ang mga bilanggong pulitikal bitbit ang streamer at plakard na may panawagang “Palayain ang Lahat ng Bilanggong Pulitikal!” at pagpapanagot sa mga nakinabang sa Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP). Namahagi rin sila ng mga polyeto sa mga kapwa nakakulong, mga lider ng mga selda, at maging sa opisina ng NBP.

KAMING MGA BILANGGONG PULITIKAL dito sa Maximum Security Compound ay mahigpit na kumukondena sa patuloy na pagdala ng baluktot na paninindigan ng kasalukuyang gobyerno na nagsasamantala at nang-aapi. Walang maaasahan ang mga mamamayan sa katiyakan na mapapanagot at maigagawad ang sapat na kaparusahan sa lahat na sangkot sa kasuklam-suklam na pandarambong at paglustay sa salapi mula sa buwis ng taong bayan at kabang yaman ng bansa at paglalapat ng tunay, patas na hustisya’t katarungan sa buong bansa. Kung patuloy na maghihintay sa katugunan na Papet at Reaksyonaryong Gobyerno, na kung saan ang mismong pangunahing Lider nito at mga miyembro ng Gabinete ay patuloy na nagdedepensa at nagtatanggol sa iligal na paggastos ng salapi mula sa kabang yaman ng bansa, na kung saan walang pakundangan din nitong binalewala at nilalapastangan ang sagradong disisyon ng Kataas-taasang Hukuman (SC).

Malaking dagok sa maraming bilang naghihikahos na mamamayan at mga mamamayan na dugo’t pawis ang puhunan sa pagpapakahirap sa marangal na hanap-buhay ang hindi tutuldukan na Sistema ng Korapsyon sa loob mismo ng gobyerno na kung saan ang ilegal na sistemang ito ay legal na naisakatuparan sa paraan ng panlilinlang, pag-aabuso sa kapangyaarihan at baluktot sa nilalaman ng Saligang Batas ng Bansa, kaalinsabay din nito ang hindi katanggap-tanggap na espesyal na pagtrato sa lahat na sangkot Pork Barrel Scam, habang ang mga Political Prisoners at Common Prisoners ay patuloy na dumaranas ng napakahirap na kalagayan at hindi patas na pag-trato sa loob ng mga regular na piitan. Dahil sa kawalan ng sinsiridad mismo ng Gobyernong Nasyonal na ipatupad ang libre, sapat at maayos na makataong serbisyong pang-piitan, gayundin ang hindi natitinag na sistema ng diskriminasyon sa pagbibigay ng mga pribilihiyo at pagkilala sa mga karapatan ng mga konbiktado at ditinado.

Naninindigan ang mga Bilanggong Pulitikal na ang sistema ng korapsyon sa loob ng Papet at Reaksyonaryong Gobyerno ang pinagmumulan ng iba’t-ibang uri ng kasamaan at kaguluhan na maaring tumungo sa krisis pampulitika at ekonomiya sa pinakamalalang kalagayan, kaya marapat din bigyan ng sinsiridad ang pagkakaroon ng makabuluhang usapang pangkapayapaan na tumutukoy sa pinag-uugatan ng malago ng paghihirap, pandarahas sa buhay ng mamamayan at walang humpay na armadong tunggalian sa bansa.

Panagutin at ipiit ang lahat ng sangkot sa Pandarambong at Paglustay ng salapi mula sa kabang yaman ng Bansa!

Muling buksan ang makabuluhang usapang pangkapayapaan ng NDFP at GPH!

Palayain ang lahat ng Bilanggong Pulitikal!

 

BILANGGONG PULITIKAL

Maximum Security Compound

Muntinlupa City

Political prisoners go on fasting until Aquino’s SONA

Nestor Corrales | Inquirer.net

MANILA, Philippines- Hundreds of political prisoners in the country started fasting on Friday until the State of the Nation Address (Sona) of President Benigno Aquino III on Monday.

“Political prisoners will start their fast today that will last until Aquino’s SONA on Monday to show their disgust to the government,” Cristina Palabay, secretary general of Karapatan said.

On Friday, militant groups from Karapatan and Selda staged a protest rally at the Philippine National Police Headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City, to demand the release of all political prisoners in the country.

Members of the militant groups held prison bars with photos of political prisoners demanding for their release and to jail lawmakers who pocketed billions of money through the controversial Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) and the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP).

Palabay said Camp Crame has 12 political prisoners, including National Democratic Front leaders Benito and Wilma Tiamzon.

She said 400 political prisoners were detained across the country.

She condemned the special treatment accorded to rich and influential prisoners while political prisoners continue to languish in jails for years.

“The detention of activists and those perceived as enemies of the state and their condition inside jail poses a stark contrast with how Aquino treats the plunderers,” she said.

In a joint statement, political prisoners said, ” In our four-day fast, we want our voices be heard in condemning President Aquino for his sins against the people, especially his brutal counter-insurgency campaign, Oplan Bayanihan, his economic program the Public-Private Partnership and the DAP, his way of siphoning off the nation’s coffer.”

The militant groups said they would also stage protests on Monday when Aquino reports to the Filipinos his fourth Sona.

Pahayag ng Batangas 6 sa SONA 2014

Ilang SONA o State of the Nation Address na ang napakinggan namin, ang Batangas 6 mula kay Benigno Aquino III habang nakapiit sa loob ng mahigit apat na taon sa Batangas Provincial Jail at tulad pa rin ng dati, ito’y nagmimistulang isang sirang plaka na paulit-ulit na pinatutugtog ng kanyang rehimen upang patuloy na paniwalain at bilugin ang kamalayan ng sambayanan sa mga kasinungalingan ng diumao’y tuwid na daan.

Muli na naman tayong binigo ng kasalukuyang administrasyon. Patuloy tayong pinauulanan ng mga kasinungalingan, ng mga pangakong napapako, at sa halip na mga solusyon at aksyon ay malinaw na sa palala at sa pabulusok na kalagayan ang inihahain nito sa bansa. Kung noong SONA 2013 ay ipinahayag nito ang diumano’y pag wang-wang sa korapsyon at diumano’y pagpapanagot nito sa mga tiwaling upisyal ng gubyerno, sa taong ito naungkat ang tunay na umaalingasaw na baho ng kanyang administrasyon nang lumantad ang isyu ng PDAF at ang DAP kung saan nasasamantala ni Aquino ang paglalaan sa pondo ng bayan sa mga samu’t-saring kwestonableng proyektong hindi naman talaga napakinabangan ng mamamayan at kailanman hindi nakatulong sa masidhing problema ng mamamayan sa matataas na presyo ng bilihin, kawalan ng trabaho, lupa, tirahan, edukasyon, at sa halip ay lalong lumala ang abang kalagayan ng sambayanan. Ito ay sa kabila ng deklarasyon ng Korte Suprema na labag sa Saligang Batas ang DAP.

Patuloy pa rin ang pagtalikod nito sa usapin ng paglapat ng tunay na solusyon sa pangmatagalang kapayapaan sa bansa. Walang itong interes na ipagpatuloy ang usapang pangkapayapaan sa pagitan ng NDFP at ng kanyang gubyerno. Wala pa rin itong napapanagot sa mga tunay na kriminal na lumapastangan sa karapatang-tao ng mamamayan, wala pang naililitaw sa mga desaparecidos, wala pang napapanagot sa mga biktima ng ekstra-hudisyal na pagpatay at wala pang pinalalaya ni isa sa mahigit 400 bilanggong pulitikal sa bansa.

Ilan lamang ito sa napakadaming kasalanan ng Aquino sa mamamayan, at sa pagsapit ng araw ng kanyang SONA, pihadong hahaba lamang ang listahan ng kanyang mga kasinungalingan. Patuloy nating kinukundena si Aquino at kasabay ang mamamayan ipinapanawagan ng Batangas 6 na i-impeach si Aquino sa kanyang kapabayaan, korapsyon, kasinungalingan at paglabag sa saligang batas! Sapat na ang ilang taong panlilinlang at panloloko ng kanyang administrasyon. Wakasan na natin ang patuloy na pagpapahirap ni Aquino sa sambayanan at panagutin ito sa pagnanakaw sa yaman ng bansa at sa pagsasawalambahala sa mga karapatan, interes at panawagan ng mamamayan para sa hustisya, katotohanan, kapayapaan at kalayaan! Kaya sa darating na Hunyo 28, ipinapanawagan ng Batangas 6 sa mamamayang Pilipino na lumahok, tumayo, kumilos at ipahayag ang kanilang galit sa napakaraming anomalya, kasinungalingan at kasalanan ng rehimeng Aquino sa sambayanan at sama-sama nating igiit ang hustisya, karapatan at kalayaan!

PATALSIKIN SI AQUINO!

I-IMPEACH SI AQUINO!

IPAGPATULOY ANG USAPANG PANGKAPAYAPAAN SA PAGITAN NG NDFP AT NG GPH!

PALAYAIN ANG BATANGAS 6 AT ANG LAHAT NG BILANGGONG PULITIKAL!

Maricon Montajes

Ronilo Baes

Romiel Canete

Albert Custodio

Junver Tirasol

Jay-R Manalo