Political prisoners ask govt to prioritize Torres' release

Political prisoners at Camp Bagong Diwa-Special Intensive Care Area-1 and at the Taguig City Jail-Female Dorm hanged streamers calling for the release of political prisoners. "We urgently demand the return of our freedom," political prisoners of Camp Bagong Diwa said in a statement as they joined the nationwide fast.

The political prisoners also called on to the Aquino government to prioritize the release of political prisoner Maria Miradel Torres. Torres, a political prisoner at the Taguig City Jail gave birth on November 19 at the Philippine General Hospital two weeks ago, and is nursing her baby boy. 

Last December 3, more than a hundred political prisoners in the Philippines launched a 7-day fast until December 10, International Human Rights Day."We urgently demand the redress of the injustices against us; of the violations of our rights and our work for the people; and of the undue sufferings that we, our loved ones, our supporters and constituencies, and the people we are devoted to serve but are separated from, are made to suffer for long as iron bars and prison walls cruelly stand in the way," the statement said.

The fast, they said, is not only to call attention to their release but also a form of "collective protest action" in solidarity with the victims of the continuing and unresolved human rights violations among the oppressed and exploited masses.

Despite provisions in both international and local laws that 'no person shall be detained solely by reason of his political beliefs and aspirations' there are currently 491 political prisoners in the country, imprisoned precisely because of their political beliefs.

Majority of the 491 political prisoners in the country are peasant leaders fighting for their rights to land and indigenous peoples who are part of the struggle to keep their ancestral lands from the plunder by foreign and local mining companies and agro-corporations. There are also development workers serving poor communities to help them uplift their lives. There are also 14 consultants for National Democratic Front of the Philippine for the peace process who are protected by the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees  but are kept in prison.

The political prisoners said they are also protesting their being victims "of arbitrary and illegal arrest and detention; of torture; of trumped-up criminalized charges; of one of the world's most rotten, sluggish and practically unmoving system of justice; of undue repressions, restrictions, abuses; of poor prison conditions; and of other violations of our political and human rights."

The statement was signed by Andrea Rosal, Jesus Abetria, Jr., Modesto Araza, Alex Arias, Cesar Balmaceda, Gemma Carag, Eddie Cruz, Philip Enteria, Marissa Espedido, Voltaire Guray, Fidel Holanda, Pastora Latagan, Edward Lanzanas, Rolando Laylo, Evelyn Legaspi, Eliseo Lopez, Alberto Macasinag,Jared Morales, Dennis Ortiz, Rhea Pareja, Miguela Pinera, Hermogenes Reyes Jr, Felicardo Salamat, Aristides Sarmiento, Antonio Satumba, Elmer Torres. NDFP consultants Tirso Alcantara, Alan Jazmines, Ma.Loida Magpatoc, Leopoldo Caloza, and Emeterio Antalan also signed the statement.

Jigs Clamor

National coordinator

SELDA