Edre Olalia, president of the National Union of Peoples Lawyers (NUPL) and lawyer of Wilma Austria said this is “a politically motivated persecution and hardline attack” as it was resurrected out of nowhere after 30 years.
Duterte’s recognition and respect for these previously-signed agreements has opened doors for both the resumption of peace talks and the release of political prisoners through peace talks.”
“We see this as a positive step towards ‘straightening’ rights violations committed against political prisoners and the Filipino people.”
“But the main question here is, where did they really find those clothes?”
The dismissal was due to the failure of the prosecution to bring before the court the complainants of the nearly 30-year-old case.
“These women who exercise their right to take part on political affairs are jailed because they are unjustly seen as threats to the BS Aquino government.”
“To continue the judicial proceedings inside a police fortress under very hostile conditions and atmosphere, and beyond open scrutiny is inconsistent with the minimum requirements of due process.”
BLOOD RUSH By SARAH RAYMUNDO The liberal tide that once set apart emergent capitalism from feudalism’s obsolescence is now a plague that threatens all living systems. Neoliberalism aims to prolong capitalism’s lease on lives and labor by converting what the latter identifies as last frontiers into its own likeness. And it does this through the…
As of Nov. 30, there are 491 political prisoners in the country, based on Karapatan data. Of these, 220 were arrested under President Aquino’s term. There are 53 ailing prisoners, 43 female prisoners, 42 elderly, and six minors.
Related story | Police officer rejected as ‘expert witness’ in Leyte mass grave case
During cross examination, the police officer who examined the skeletons of the alleged victims admitted that he arrived at the arrived at the crime scene at least 10 days after the digging at the massacre site began. Those who exhumed the remains, he added, may also be soldiers.
Lawyers of the accused filed a motion for reconsideration after Judge Thelma Bunye-Medina of Branch 32 had denied their earlier motion to quash information and to dismiss the case.