Filing of ‘trumped-up charges’ vs activists continue under Aquino

Filing of ‘trumped-up charges’ vs activists continue under Aquino

Karapatan stressed that the president is capable of releasing political prisoners as he did when he released rebel soldiers. “All he has to have is the political will to release those who are wrongly imprisoned.” – Marie Hilao-Enriquez, Karapatan.
By RONALYN V. OLEA
Bulatlat.com

MANILA – Seventy-seven activists have been charged with fabricated charges under the new Aquino administration, according to human rights group Karapatan.

Karapatan said of the 360 political prisoners all over the country, 77 were arrested under the Aquino administration, 247 during the Arroyo administration and 21 before the Arroyo administration. Thirty are women, 11 belong to the elderly and 28 are sick, Karapatan records show.

The group, along with Samahan ng Ex-detainees laban sa Detensyon at Aresto (Selda), joined the fasting staged by hundreds of political prisoners from various detention cells beginning Sept. 13.

“Among the notorious legacies of the Marcos dictatorship was the illegal arrest and detention of political prisoners who fought against the corrupt and repressive regime. Such reality exists to this day, with 360 political prisoners languishing in jails for fabricated and trumped-up charges because of the exercise of their political beliefs that run counter to those of the powers running our government,” Angie Ipong, former political prisoner and Selda secretary general, said.

“President Aquino should look at the mirror of history twice when he likens activist organizations to a dictatorship. His administration is actually carrying on the more vivid legacy of a dictatorship with such rights violations under his term,” Ipong said, referring to Aquino’s remarks against the League of Filipino Students (LFS) in his recent speech.

This is the second time political prisoners and their supporters held a fast to demand for general, unconditional and omnibus amnesty. The first was held in July in time for President Aquino’s second State of the Nation Address (Sona).

Karapatan stressed that the president is capable of releasing political prisoners as he did when he released rebel soldiers. “All he has to have is the political will to release those who are wrongly imprisoned,” Marie Hilao-Enriquez, Karapatan chairwoman, said.

Supporters hold a sympathy fasting in front of the Philippine National Police’s headquarters, Sept. 13.(Photo courtesy of Karapatan / bulatlat.com)

Under Aquino, only six political prisoners have so far been released, including Ipong, and consultants of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) namely Jovencio Balweg, Jaime Soledad, Glicerio Pernia and Maria Luisa Purcray. Multiple common crimes filed against them have been dismissed.

In a message, Sandino Esguerra, a political prisoner who has been detained for more than ten years at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City, said Aquino “has no reason not to heed their demand for freedom.”

Emeterio Antalan, another political prisoner detained at Camp Bagong Diwa, said, “In the name of matuwid na daan (straight path), Aquino must release political prisoners.”

Criminalizing activism

“The political prisoners are falsely accused of crimes they have not committed, contrary to Aquino’s continued mantra that his government is for human rights,” Enriquez said.

Enriquez said such practice intends “to hide the government’s political persecution of those it labels as enemies of the state.”.... MORE

Source:  Bulatlat.com

URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2011/09/15/filing-of-%E2%80%98trumped-up-charges%E2%80%99-vs-activists-continue-under-aquino/