Youth groups launch campaign for release of political prisoners
“My daughter is only one among hundreds victimized by state repression. They are languishing in jail without fair trial, and are charged with common and sometimes petty crimes.” – Concepcion MontajesBy INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO
Bulatlat.com
Militant youth organizations launched its own campaign for the release of political prisoners with particular focus on those who belong to the sector of youth and students. They have sounded the alarm over the one year detention of 21-year old Maricon Montajes, Ronilo Baes, 19; and Romiel Cañete, 22 years old.
The Student Christian Movement of the Philippines (SCMP), Anakkbayan, the League of Filipino Students (LFS), KARATULA, College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP), and the National Union of Students in the Philippines (NUSP) demand the dismissal of all charges against all political prisoners, saying they were not guilty of anything but of practicing their political beliefs.
In the pre-dawn hours of June 3, 2010, the 743rd Combat Squadron of the Philippine Air Force conducted a raid in Taysan, Batangas. The three youth were immediately arrested and charged with frustrated murder and homicide, illegal possession of firearms and violation of gun ban. Since then, they have been detained at the Batangas Provincial Jail.
Prior to her arrest, Montajes was a film major at the student of the University of the Philippines (UP) Baes hails from Batangas while Cañete is from Diliman, Quezon City.
![](http://bulatlat.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Maricon-Task-Force.jpg)
Earlier in May this year, former UP Faculty Regent Prof. Judy Taguiwalo and Act Teacher’s Party List Rep. Antonio Tinio accompanied three members of the Ontario Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines (OCHRP) to visit political detainees Maricon Montajes, Ronilo Baes, Romiel Cañete and the Talisay 3 in the Batangas Provincial Jail in Batangas City. (Photo courtesy of Task Force Freedom for Maricon / bulatlat.com)
Free Maricon Montajes
According to Mrs. Montajes, her daughter was only in Batangas because she was doing research in Southern Tagalog rural communities in her effort to learn more about Philippine society. She had, by then, taken on the role of an outreach worker and she reportedly wanted to introduce creative communication strategies in rural development work.
“There are many ways in which government troops can repress dissenting ideas of those who are only seeking to learn about the realities in our society. My daughter is only one among hundreds victimized by state repression . They are languishing in jail without fair trial, and are charged with common and sometimes petty crimes,” she said..... MORE
Source: Bulatlat.com
URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2011/06/24/youth-groups-launch-campaign-for-release-of-political-prisoners-including-up-student-maricon-montajes/
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