SELDA (Samahan ng Ex-Detainees Laban sa Detensyon at Aresto) urgently calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Tomas Dominado, a 74-year-old ailing political detainee. Arrested on December 5 in Arevalo, Iloilo City, Dominado faces trumped-up charges of murder and rebellion based on warrants issued more than a decade ago. Significantly, some of his co-accused have already been acquitted, underscoring the baseless nature of these accusations.
Tomas Dominado, a dedicated activist and the husband of desaparecido Ma. Luisa Posa-Dominado, has spent his life championing the struggle for people’s rights. A leader during the First Quarter Storm (FQS), he organized the Samahang Demokratikong Kabataan (SDK) in Western Visayas and the Federation of Ilonggo Students (FIST). Dominado endured over three years of detention under the Marcos Sr. dictatorship, symbolizing the state’s enduring repression of dissent.
Now, this injustice persists with his arrest, compounded by his fragile health. A stroke survivor who is bedridden and dependent on an aide for mobility, Dominado suffers from hypertension, an enlarged heart, neurological deficits, and other severe medical conditions. Detaining him in inadequate facilities jeopardizes his life, depriving him of the critical medical care he urgently requires.
Adding to this travesty, Dominado’s aide was also arrested, falsely charged with violations of RA 10591 (Illegal Possession of Firearms and Ammunition) and RA 11479 (Anti-Terrorism Act) for allegedly providing material support to a terrorist organization. These fabricated charges highlight the systematic misuse of the judicial system to silence activists and the pervasive practice of red-tagging.
The detention of Dominado and his aide exemplifies the state’s alarming trend of criminalizing dissent and branding activism as a crime. This relentless repression not only violates their rights but also threatens the democratic freedoms of all Filipinos.
We, at SELDA, demand the immediate and unconditional release of Tomas Dominado and his aide and the dismissal of all fabricated charges against them. We call for an end to red-tagging, terrorist labeling, and the weaponization of laws to suppress legitimate advocacy. We remain persistent in our call for the release of all political prisoners unjustly detained for their beliefs and activism.
Dominado’s plight reflects the broader injustice faced by countless activists and human rights defenders in the Philippines. We urge all sectors of society to stand united in resisting state-sponsored repression and demand justice for Tomas Dominado.
Release Tomas Dominado Now!
Free All Political Prisoners!