One of Three Remaining Morong 43 Detainee Released

One of Three Remaining Morong 43 Detainee Released

“My happiness is not complete because two of the Morong 43 are still in jail and hundreds more political detainees are still suffering,” Edwin Dematera told Bulatlat shortly after he was released.
By RONALYN V. OLEA
Bulatlat.com

MANILA — One of the three remaining Morong 43 detainees, who was kept in jail on charges of rape and robbery filed against a supposed namesake, walked out of the Metro Manila District Jail in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City, Feb. 17, around 8:00 p.m.

Edwin Dematera, 39, was released after complainants to a robbery case filed before a local court in Las Pinas confirmed that he is not Edwin Bustamante, the accused.

The Morong 43 refers to the 43 health workers arrested on Feb. 6, 2010 in Morong, Rizal. They were charged with illegal possession of firearms and explosives and were branded as members of the New People’s Army, armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). On Dec. 17, 33 of the Morong 43 were released after the dismissal of charges against them by the local courts. Two more were released Dec. 28 and two others are still detained at Camp Bagong Diwa. The other five have remained under military custody at Camp Capinpin.

Dematera was kept in jail on charges against a supposed namesake. (Photo by Ronalyn V. Olea / bulatlat.com)

“My happiness is not complete because two of the Morong 43 are still in jail and hundreds more political detainees are still suffering,” Dematera told Bulatlat.com shortly after he was released.
Julius Garcia Matibag, national spokesman of the National Union of People’s Laywers (NUPL), said the two, Mario delos Reyes and Rogelio Villarisis have been slapped with non-bailable criminal charges, such as murder, in Mindoro.

There are 345 political detainees all over the county, according to the Samahan ng Ex-Detainees Para sa Amnestiya at Laban sa Aresto (Selda).

Dematera was fetched by Matibag, Fr. Dionito Cabillas, Selda secretary general and two staff of Karapatan. Dematera’s wife and children are in Sorsogon, Bicol. His wife Lyn is expected to travel to Manila today, Feb. 18..... MORE

Source:  Bulatlat.com

URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2011/02/18/one-of-three-remaining-morong-43-detainee-released/