MANILA — Progressives showed their support for Jonila Castro and Jhed Tamano as they filed their counter affidavits at the Department of Justice, Tuesday, Nov. 7.
This is after the filing of a perjury case against Castro and Tamano by Lt. Col. Ronnel B. De la Cruz, commander of the Philippine Army’s 70th Infantry Battalion.
Salvador France, secretary general of fisherfolk group Pamalakaya asserted that the charges against Castro and Tamano are a form of judicial harassment and that state forces are retaliating after they were exposed.
It was in Sept. 19 that the two young activists revealed in the press conference organized by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict in Bulacan that they were abducted by the military and that they were coerced into signing the sworn statements saying they are surrenderers.
France said that Castro and Tamano “deserve their complete liberty from any form of harassment and intimidation, for them to continue their advocacy work in the coastal communities.”
Jon Bonifacio, national coordinator of Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment (Kalikasan PNE) meanwhile said that the judicial reprisal against Castro and Tamano shows that the AFP and Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration “has been relentless in its persecution of those defending the environment.”
In a statement, Castro and Tamano pointed out that they are the victims. “Despite the charges against us, we will continue to fight for our rights as advocates and the rights of communities affected by reclamation,” they said. (RTS) 
Photos from Kalikasan PNE Facebook page
