Militant groups appeal for release of detained activists

MANILA, Philippines - Leaders of militant groups from Central Luzon trooped yesterday to Malacañang and appealed to President Aquino to release all the 25 political detainees from the region like what his mother, the late former President Corazon Aquino did when she assumed power in 1986.

Two of the detainees identified as Leopoldo Caloza and Emeterio Antalan are staff members of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), are both seriously ill.

Leaders from the Families and Friends of Central Luzon Police Detainees, United Luisita Workers Union (ULWU), Karapatan-Gitnang Luzon, Al­yansa ng Magbubukid ng Gitnang Luson, and the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) also prepared a petition to the President.

The petition also included other demands — the immediate passage of legislation to decriminalize political offenses, investigation of all human rights cases and prosecution and punishment of perpetrators, and the indemnification of victims of human rights violations, and enforcement of the law against torture as well as the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and other international humanitarian laws.

Central Luzon residents signed the petition that primarily sought the immediate release and unconditional dropping of all the charges against all the 25 political detainees.

The petitioners called for an urgent consideration and must be accorded to Caloza, Antalan, Efren Delalamon and Edgardo Friginal due to their status as NDFP peace panel staff members with deteriorating health conditions.

The petition said the 25 detainees are languishing in various jails and are facing trumped-up criminal charges filed by the military. Julita Caloza, spokesperson of FFCLPD, said relatives have testified that the detainees are honorable people and not criminals.

“It is extremely unjust for the government to slap them with criminal charges for their political offenses. They played significant roles in ousting the Marcos dictatorship and the Estrada regime, and fought for the people’s interest in the past Arroyo administration,” she said.