Kapatid said this incident shows a pattern of systemic abuse and inadequate training among jail authorities, who violated the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology's rule that strip searches should only occur when necessary, and that the invasive, traumatic body cavity search should only be performed with probable cause after a strip search.
Cardinal David also stressed that the prevalence of inequality in the country leads to struggle. He said he longs for the day that it is no longer necessary for people to take up arms to correct the inequities in society.
Gloria Almonte, 63, wife of political prisoner Dionisio Almonte, is one of those who experienced the “degrading and traumatic” strip search at the New Bilibid Prison (NPB) when she opted to visit her husband on April 21, around 1:45 pm.
“It is a travesty of justice that pork barrel mastermind Janet Napoles has been acquitted along with her cohorts who are now sitting senators, but no political prisoner whose cases are made up has been included in any of the trumpeted mass releases of elderly PDLs since the start of the pandemic in 2020.”
In a handwritten complaint, Bona Fides Lusania said she was subjected to a strip search last Jan. 8, which was her first visit to her political prisoner father since the pandemic broke.
“State security forces continue to perpetrate with impunity extrajudicial killings, torture, forced disappearances, illegal arrests, and detention based on trumped-up charges."
A support organization of families and friends of political prisoners in the Philippines talked about the challenges faced by persons deprived of liberty in terms of access to hygiene and other gender-specific services and how to advocate for the rights inside places of detention.
“The extreme congestion of Philippine prisons create a perfect petri dish to seed immense infections by the highly transmissible Omicron variant."
“We commend the decision of the court and we hope this will presage more releases of political prisoners who are foisted with trumped-up charges in retaliation for their activism or to make them the fall guy to take the blame for NPA operations.”
“Time is of the essence. Everyday that he is missing endangers his life. Every victim of politically motivated enforced disappearance and extrajudicial killing, including plain murder, should have been a political prisoner."
With the death of another political prisoner in jail, Kapatid reiterated their call for the promulgation of the writ of kalayaan – a legal remedy proposed by Associate Justice Marvic Leonen in his separate opinion to the SC ruling on political prisoners' petition.
“What kind of government jails a family for 16 years and ignores all appeals for their freedom although the elderly Alegre couple are eligible for pardon and humanitarian release especially at this time of pandemic?”
Kapatid seeks to join hands with you all to continue pressing government agencies for expedient, positive, humanitarian action for the benefit of prisoners, including political prisoners, amid the continuing pandemic. Tao rin sila, may karapatang makaligtas sa pandemya.
Born last January with several health complications and a cleft-palate, Carlen was immediately separated from her mother after delivery through a caesarean section. Espinosa was taken back to jail in Guihulngan City three days after giving birth in a local hospital and was denied the chance to take care of her baby.
Karapatan Secretary General Cristina Palabay said the domestic remedies are no longer enough, noting the trend of police “planting evidence” with impunity.
Activists in the Philippines, Guatemala and Palestine are arrested and detained for their political beliefs. The international community demands the release of all political prisoners.
"There is something wrong because her 23-year old mother was detained not because she did something wrong, but because she was wrongfully accused." -- Bishop Broderick Pabillo
“There is no reason especially why the prison authorities will not allow us to send food, flowers and solace to Reina Mae at this lowest point in her life.”
"There is nothing more heartbreaking for a mother than being separated with her child whose life is now at greatest risk."
“The issue is about exercising the judicial power of compassionate intervention and equity jurisdiction to protect those least able to protect themselves."
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