Pangilinan vows legal aid for arrested Cavite activist

TARLAC, Philippines — Vice presidential candidate Sen. Kiko Pangilinan vowed Friday to provide legal assistance to an activist arrested in Cavite and all other supporters of him and his presidential bet Vice President Leni Robredo who may experience “harassment.”

“The arrest of Jonathan Mercado yesterday is political harassment,” Pangilinan said in a statement in Filipino.

Mercado is a regional coordinator of progressive party-list Anakpawis, which is part of the Makabayan coalition which is supporting presidential bet Vice President Leni Robredo and Pangilinan.

Regional rights alliance Defend Southern Tagalog reported Thursday that Mercado was taken from Silang, Cavite and into the custody of Calabarzon police.

Pangilinan said Mercado still could not be located and that his family is being given the runaround by police.

“We will give legal support to Jonathan and all those being harassed by those intimidated by our growing force,” Pangilinan said.

Mercado, along with a number of other Anakpawis activists and campaigners in Cavite, were arrested in what groups called a “crackdown” in the province where Robredo and Pangilinan held a massive rally last week.

Rep. Jesus Crispin Remulla (Cavite) and presidential candidate Sen. Ping Lacson have claimed that those who participated in the rally were paid and were part of the armed communist rebellion, albeit without solid proof.

“It is saddening to hear news of our supporters in Cavite and in different towns, cities and provinces where our forces are gaining strength to lead those who would push for a sincere government to victory,” Pangilinan said.