Acquittal of Negros farmworker should prod release of other political prisoners jailed due to defective search warrants

KARAPATAN welcomed the release of the last of the 57 Negros activists detained on the basis of a defective search warrant issued by Quezon City Executive Judge Cecilyn Burgos-Villavert in 2019.

Imelda Sultan, a local leader of the National Federation of Sugar Workers (NFSW) in Escalante City, was arrested on November 1, 2019 with NFSW member Lindy Perocho and charged with illegal possession of firearms and explosives due to “evidence” planted by the raiding team. Charges against Perocho were dismissed in March 2024 while Sultan was acquitted of all charges yesterday, July 10, 2024.

“They endured five years of unjust detention. Their acquittal provides added proof of the flimsy and capricious bases for the issuance of Judge Villavert’s search warrants against activists,” said Karapatan secretary general Cristina Palabay. Villavert churned out up to 76 search warrants that led to the illegal arrest and unjust detention of scores of activists from 2018 to 2020.

Warrants issued by Villavert have been quashed on the bases of various deficiencies, including pertinent issues on the findings of probable cause in the application of the search warrant due to disparities in facts and other anomalies. “She has been assailed for falling short of the required probing and exhaustive inquiry for the determination of probable cause,” said Palabay, “and must be held accountable for the years lost by many activists because of unjust detention due to her haphazardly issued warrants.”

As in the case of Perocho and Sultan, many of the court cases that arose from the implementation of the Villavert-issued warrants have also been dismissed on their merits and the targeted activists released.

“Karapatan will continue to campaign for and demand the release of other activists who are still languishing in jail because of Judge Villavert’s spurious search warrants,” said Palabay. “These are Vicente Ladlad, couple Alberto and Virginia Villamor, Joel Demate Mark Ryan Cruz, and Jaymie Gregorio Jr. who are detained at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City; and Romina Astudillo who is being held at Camp Karingal in Quezon City.