Charges filed vs 8 activists

CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna — Police have filed charges against eight human rights activists who were arrested by the Army’s 74th Infantry Battalion in Catanauan, Quezon while conducting a fact-finding mission last Tuesday.

Oscar Lapida Jr., media information officer of Bayan Muna-Southern Tagalog, said the eight members of the Pagkakaisa at Ugnayan ng Manggagawa sa Timog Katagalugan were charged with violation of Presidential Decree 1829 or obstruction of justice, with the provincial prosecutor’s office.

According to Lapida, the prosecutor’s office dismissed the rebellion charges against the activists and gave them 15 days to submit their counter-affidavits to the obstruction of justice charges.

The eight were on their way to Mulanay town to investigate the killing of a suspected communist member when soldiers arrested them. — Arnell Ozaeta