May 29, 2016
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Free All Political Prisoners
The Filipino communities abroad welcome the incoming President of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte with the demand to release ALL political prisoners detained by the past regimes and to drop all the false criminal charges filed against them.
As the peace talks between National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) and Government of the Philippines (GPH) resume by June 2016, the Left and progressive groups demand the release of the PP’s before the start of the talks. Eighteen of the 543 political prisoners scattered around the archipelago are NDFP peace consultants, including Benito Tiamzon and Wilma Austria. At least 88 need proper medical attention while 48 are elderly. Last year, Andrea Rosal, daughter of Rogelio “Ka Roger” Rosal gave birth inside prison that led to the death of her child. Later that year Eddie Serrano, NDFP peace consultant from Camarines Sur died in the hospital due to a heart attack. Most of the said political prisoners are poor peasants fighting for their land.
A breach of the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) and the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG) has been committed by the GPH. The trumped-up criminal charges against the political prisoners are a complete violation of their rights under the said agreements. The CARHRIHL and JASIG also state that the peace consultants are immune from any criminal charges while the peace negotiation is ongoing, as well as the obligation of the GPH for their release without any pre-conditions.
The imprisonment of the political activists does not only violate their rights, it is also a death to free speech and the right to resist the oppressive forces. The false criminal charges such as arson, kidnapping and murder show how the government is so desperate to silence the activists in a futile attempt to cover up the atrocities and corruption of its officials.
The detention of the NDFP peace consultants does not only reflects Aquino regime’s derision to address the root causes of un-peace in the country and poverty but as well as the ongoing civil war. Their detention is one of the main reasons for the stalled peace talks between the two political forces in the Philippines.
In country like Philippines where oppression by the government and foreign power is visible, the forces of the human rights defenders to ensure and protect the ordinary Filipino families are needed. They have been serving as the voices and armours of the marginalized sectors of the society for decades now. While they are being locked inside their four-walled prison cells, the real criminals — perpetrators of the human rights violations — are still at large.
Anakbayan-Europe will echo the call of other progressive forces inside and outside of the country for the General Unconditional and Omnibus amnesty of the political prisoners and the imprisonment of Aquino and his officials for the 318 extra-judicial killings, 583 cases of frustrated murders, 38 enforced disappearances and the hundreds of thousands victims of forced evacuation under the Aquino regime We also demand the prosecution of Jovito Palparan who masterminded the disappearances of Karen Empeño, Sherly Capadapn and Jonas Burgos.
Free our defenders!
Free all political prisoners!
Drop all the false charges filed against our defenders!
Jail Aquino!
Prosecute Palparan!
Resume Peace Talks!###