On the eve of the first year of the Marcos Jr. presidency, former political prisoners, their relatives, and advocates of current political prisoners gathered to launch a campaign for the release of all political prisoners in the Philippines, in an activity at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani today.
“The nearly 800 political prisoners in the country are living proof of the persisting violations on the rights to due process and against arbitrary or illegal detention, and the extent of political repression under the Marcos Jr. administration. The conviction of National Democratic Front of the Philippines peace consultant Frank Fernandez and his wife Cleofe Lagtapon on trumped up charges of illegal possession of firearms by a Taguig court today is another proof of this continuing injustice,” said Trinidad “Ka Trining” Herrera-Repuno, chairperson of SELDA (Samahan ng Ex-Detainees Laban sa Detensyon at Aresto).
According to Karapatan, as of June 2023, there are 778 political prisoners languishing in different detention centers in the Philippines, with forty-nine (49) of them arrested under Marcos Jr.
At the gathering, former political prisoners during the Marcos Sr. martial law including former DSWD secretary Prof. Judy Taguiwalo, playwright Bonifacio Ilagan, Bayan chairperson emeritus Dr. Carol Araullo, and Karapatan chairperson Tita Lubi expressed support for the campaign, as they recounted their experiences. Former solons Satur Ocampo, Emmi de Jesus, Eufemia Cullamat, and Sarah Elago, as well as former Sen. Serge Osmena, who was also a political prisoner during the Marcos dictatorship, also attended. Also present in the gathering were recently released political prisoners such as Reina Mae Nasino, Alma Moran, Ram Bautista, and Michael Bartolome.
Various organizations such as Gabriela, Kilusang Mayo Uno, Sandugo, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, Pilgrims for Peace, and Promotion for Church People’s Response spoke on the pattern of continuing political persecution from the Duterte administration to the Marcos Jr. regime, which resulted in the increase in activists facing trumped charges, among others. A representative from Kapatid also spoke on the need for the Supreme Court to come out with a writ of kalayaan for the humanitarian release of the elderly, sick and long-detained political prisoners.
Families of detained women’s rights activist Adora Faye de Vera,public sector union organizer Juan Alexander Reyes, trade union organizer Maoj Maga, and peace consultant Rey Casambre also spoke during the activity and appealed for support.
“Let us persist in calling and working for the release of all political prisoners in the Philippines. Our experience as martial law activists have shown that even in jail, we will never be silenced, and with the support of various groups, advocates, lawyers, and the public, we will prevail,” Herrera-Repuno said.
Participating organizations: Kilusang Mayo Uno and Free Our Unionist Campaign, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas and Tanggol Magsasaka, GABRIELA and Free Our Sisters Campaign, COURAGE, Defend Jobs-NCR, Pilgrims for Peace and Promotion for Church People’s Response, SANDUGO and Bai, First Quarter Storm Movement, Hustisya, Kapatid (Families and Friends of Political Prisoners), Karapatan and Health Action for Human Rights.