Probe political prisoner’s death, CHR asked

MANILA, Philippines — A support group for families and friends of political prisoners has urged the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) to conduct an independent investigation into the liability of prison officials in connection with the death of an activist in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.

“As Kapatid grieves over the death of 67-year-old Antonio Molina, a peasant activist who was imprisoned in Palawan because of fabricated cases of illegal possession of firearms and explosives, we ask the CHR to lead a probe,” Kapatid spokesperson Fides Lim said. “We ask the court to reexamine itself and be held accountable for its callous decision-making that effectively served as his death warrant.”

Molina, who was diagnosed with stage 4 abdominal cancer in March, was brought to a hospital on Thursday. He died of cardiac arrest at past 10 p.m. on the same day.

Molina and six staff members of a human rights group were arrested on Oct. 4, 2019.

Lim said Molina is the sixth political prisoner who died during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We had asked the government for his compassionate release since the day that doctors gave him six months to live.But the motions filed by human rights lawyers were denied by the Regional Trial Court Branch 51 of Puerto Princesa,” Lim said.

Kapatid said the appeal of the group to transfer Molina to a hospital was blocked by the prison warden who even denied that the activist was bedridden.

“It was too late when they reversed their position on Nov. 15 and asked the court to act on Molina’s motion for release on recognizance on humanitarian grounds,” Lim said.