Dear friends,
We are sharing with you this open letter by the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) – Canada addressed to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on the immediate release of detained labor organizer Ernesto Jude Rimando Jr.
Best regards,
KARAPATAN Public Information Desk
AN OPEN LETTER
To President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.
RE: Call for the Immediate Release of Ernesto Jude Rimando
Mr. President,
The International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP-Canada) urgently appeals for the immediate release of Ernesto Rimando on humanitarian and just grounds.
On May 18 of this year, Rimando was admitted to the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) for medical tests, where he discovered his liver cirrhosis had progressed to Stage 4 liver cancer. He was also diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and pulmonary embolism. His doctors have indicated that without treatment, he may have only three months to live. Although he initially opted for immunotherapy, it had to be stopped due to adverse side effects and the advanced stage of his cancer. He is now a candidate for palliative care.
Rimando, a 1982 graduate of Philippine Science High School and a former Mechanical Engineering student at UP Diliman, where he was an active youth organizer, has been a staunch advocate for trade union and peasant rights throughout his adult life.
In 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ernesto Jude Rimando sought treatment in Metro Manila for liver cirrhosis and sepsis. However, before he could receive any medical care, he was arrested on January 6, 2021, at his rented apartment in Brgy. Payatas, Quezon City. Six armed men in civilian clothes, who did not present a warrant and refused to identify themselves, conducted the arrest. Rimando was blindfolded, tortured, and interrogated on the spot. Additionally, the arresting team planted firearms and a grenade in his bag and hastily prepared a revised arrest warrant prior to his inquest.
Fortunately, the court dismissed the trump-up charges against him. However, Rimando remains in detention due to other fabricated charges. The military complainants in these cases falsely allege that his name is “Allan Morales,” an outright falsity.
Ernesto Rimando’s situation is not unique. In Negros Island alone, around 140 political prisoners are jailed on fabricated charges. The region has also become a hotspot for extrajudicial killings, with hundreds of peasants, women, lawyers, and human rights defenders losing their lives.
Given Rimando’s serious medical condition and unjust imprisonment, we urgently appeal to you, Mr. President, to authorize his immediate release on humanitarian and compassionate grounds. We request your direct intervention to ensure he receives the medical treatment and care during his remaining time.
Respectfully,
Luthfi Marawid, Chairperson
Chairperson, ICHRP Canada
Copy furnished:
Jesus Crispin C. Remulla
Secretary, Department of Justice of the Philippines
Email: communications@doj.gov.ph, osecmig@gmail.com
Richard Palpal-latoc
Chairperson, Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines
Email: ocrpp@chr.gov.ph
Maria Andrelita S. Austria
Ambassador, Embassy of Philippines
Ottawa, Canada
Email: embassyofphilippines@rogers.com
The Honourable Minister Mélanie Joly, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, House of Commons
Government of Canada
Email: Melanie.Joly@international.gc.ca, Melanie.Joly@parl.gc.ca