Karapatan assailed the continuing detention of an ailing and elderly “palit-ulo” victim arrested almost six months ago.
Retired aircon technician Prudencio Calubid Jr., 81, was arrested at his home in Olongapo City on December 7, 2024 by elements of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group of the Philippine National Police (PNP-CIDG), using a warrant issued against National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) consultant Prudencio Calubid. Tatay Pruding, as he is fondly called, has been a resident of Olongapo City for 50 years, was an employee of the defunct Subic Naval Base and a former overseas Filipino worker and has the documents to prove it.
Consultant Calubid, however, who has a Php7.8 million bounty on his head, was abducted by suspected State agents with his wife Celina Palma and three others in Sipocot, Camarines Sur on June 26, 2006 and remains missing to date. The police and military undoubtedly found the Php7.8-million bounty too irresistible and decided to arrest the wanted NDFP consultant’s namesake and collect the money.
“They want to satisfy their greed at the expense of an innocent octogenarian who is wheelchair-bound and has serious kidney ailments,” said Karapatan deputy secretary general Atty. Maria Sol Taule.
A habeas corpus petition filed by Tatay Pruding’s family remains pending with the courts. “If he is not released,” said Taule, “Tatay Pruding will be spending the rest of his days being a proxy for consultant Calubid, who faces trumped-up cases of robbery with double homicide, damage to property, and 15 counts of murder. This is unjust and inhumane,” said Taule.
“We hope the court grants due course to the preponderance of evidence proving Tatay Pruding’s identity and see through the AFP and PNP’s lies,” said Taule. “Releasing Tatay Pruding is the only just recourse.” #