Anakbayan pickets DOJ to urge release of political prisoners

MANILA, Philippines — Youth group Anakbayan picketed in front of the Department of Justice on Wednesday to express disappointment in President Rodrigo Duterte for failing to release 430 political prisoners before the holidays.

 

"We are disappointed with the way President Duterte is treating political prisoners as trump cards used to threaten revolutionary forces into surrendering," Anakbayan National Chairperson Vencer Crisostomo said in a press statement.

 

He added that the prisoners are not bargaining chips, but people whom the group believes were unjustly arrested for their political views.

 

Last December, President Duterte asked government peace panel chairman Silvestre Bello III to secure a ceasefire deal with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines first before he orders the release of political prisoners.

 

"Produce to me a signed bilateral ceasefire agreement and I will release them within 48 hours. You can take my word for it," Bello said in a statement, quoting Duterte.

 

In August, NDF consultants Wilma and Benito Tiamzon were released on bail along with other peace talk consultants. The Tiamzons were arrested in Cebu in March 2014 on warrants for murder, multiple murder and frustrated murder.

 

"Wilma Tiamzon is the secretary general of the CPP/NPA while her husband, Benito, is the chairman of the CPP/NPA," Gen. Emmanuel Bautista, chief of staff of the AFP at the time, said then. They have denied the accusations.

 

READ: Rody on communist prisoners: No ceasefire, no release

 

In a speech at the traditional Christmas tree lighting at Malacañang, Duterte also promised to release old and sick political prisoners before Christmas.

 

"If you can show me a document signed by the Republic of the Philippines representatives and communists, then I will release the 130 plus more because by asking that…how many are there still beyond 70 years old and those suffering from incurable diseases at this time, who has cancer or kidney (problem) or anything? And if they are ready to be released and will be accepted by the families, i-release ko na (I will release them) before Christmas time," Duterte said.

 

Anakbayan said, however, that this did not happen. Duterte instead reiterated his position that the release of detainees can only happen after parties sign a bilateral ceasefire agreement.

 

Crisostomo said that failing to release the prisoners was a sign of insincerity and contradicts the president's supposed willingness to fulfill commitments made during the peace talks between the government and the NDF.

 

The peace talks, which came about after Duterte declared a unilateral ceasefire during his State of the Nation Address last July 25 and was in effect by August 21, started from August 22-25, 2016, and continued on October 8-12, 2016.

 

The peace talks will resume on January 18-25, 2017.

 

Crisostomo said continued detention of political prisoners casts doubt on the Duterte administration's readiness "to ensure respect for human rights and push radical socioeconomic reforms to answer the systemic roots of armed conflict."

 

According to Anakbayan, Duterte was supposed to release political prisoners through a general amnesty proclamation for an October 26 deadline as agreed upon in the first peace negotiations between the government and the NDF.