"Warden Michelle Ng-Bonto should be immediately relieved from her post in the jail facility in Special Intensive Care Area 1 (SICA 1-Camp Bagong Diwa) now that she is facing criminal and administrative cases at the Office of the Ombudsman," Cristina Palabay, Karapatan secretary general, said.
"Warden Michelle Ng-Bonto should be immediately relieved from her post in the jail facility in Special Intensive Care Area 1 (SICA 1-Camp Bagong Diwa) now that she is facing criminal and administrative cases at the Office of the Ombudsman," Cristina Palabay, Karapatan secretary general, said.
"We are calling on Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas to relieve her from her post as she uses this to further repress the rights of political prisoners and to get back to those who filed case against her," Palabay said.
On February 24, Karapatan Deputy Secretary General and SELDA national coordinator Jigs Clamor, Desaparecidos Secretary General Aya Santos and two other staff of the Karapatan national office were barred from visiting the political prisoners in SICA-1 in Taguig City without any valid reason.
Officer SJ04 Armando Bautista told Clamor that on Ng-Bonto orders, they needed to secure clearance from the National Headquarters of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology before they can visit the political prisoners. The four Karapatan staff are regular visitors of the political prisoners at SICA-1.
On February 12, Ng-Bonto was charged before the Ombudsman for violations of Section 2 (a), (b) and (f) in relation to Section 4 of Republic Act No. 7438 (An Act Defining Certain Rights of Persons Arrested, Detained, or Under Custodial Investigation As Well As the Duties of the Arresting, Detaining and Investigating Officers, and Providing Penalties for Violations Thereof). The complainants, the political prisoners at SICA-1 and leaders of people’s organizations and human rights groups, also filed an administrative charge against Ng-Bonto for gross misconduct, grave abuse of authority, gross oppression and for conduct unbecoming of a Public Officer.
Earlier, on January 27, a Joint Manifestation at the Taguig Regional Trial Court Branch 266 and Branch 271 requires S/Supt. Michelle Ng Bonto to explain violations of the rights of political prisoners.
"Ng-Bonto is into power trip, but we are not scared. She will, after all, account for this before the court," Palabay ended.