Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 16) — The Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives has filed a resolution which seeks to look into the “irregular” issuance of search warrants that resulted in the arrests and filing of “trumped-up” charges against red-tagged activists and members of progressive organizations.
The coalition on Tuesday filed House Resolution 1427 urging the House Justice Committee to conduct an investigation, in aid of legislation, on the warrants issued by Quezon City Regional Trial Court Judge Cecilyn Burgos-Villavert against activists.
According to the resolution, it was Burgos-Villavert who authorized the conduct of raids in various offices of some progressive groups in Tondo and Paco, Manila and in Bacolod last year. The activists from Bayan Muna, Gabriela, Kadamay, Manila Workers Unity, and the National Federation of Sugar Workers were charged in separate occasions for supposedly possessing firearms, ammunition, and explosives in their headquarters.
The resolution also noted that it was Burgos-Villavert who issued “questionable” search warrants that led to the recent arrests of Manila Today journalist Lady Ann Salem and union organizers of labor group Defend Jobs Philippines: Dennise Velasco, Mark Ryan Cruz, Romina Astudillo, Jaymie Gregorio, Joel Demate, and Rodrigo Esparago. The seven individuals were arrested by authorities on International Human Rights Day, December 10.
“It appeared that Executive Judge Burgos-Villavert is being favored by the PNP (Philippine National Police), in the issuance of multiple search warrants founded on fabricated facts, which specifically target human rights defenders, labor and community organizers, activists, and other government critics,” the resolution read.
“Thus, Executive Judge Burgos-Villavert’s court is now being cited by activists as a factory of baseless search warrants,” it added.
According to the resolution, the search warrants were served simultaneously on several locations against individuals who were previously tagged as “terrorists” and “enemies of the state” by authorities. The pattern also covers charging arrested activists with illegal possession of firearms, ammunitions, and explosives based on planted evidence,
“It is crucial for the House of Representatives to ensure that the Constitutional rights of its constituents are upheld,” Makabayan said. “The safeguards and procedures being laid down by our laws should be strictly respected and followed by the authorities, and should not be weaponized to suppress dissent and violate basic human rights.”
The Commission on Human Rights previously aired concern over the arrests on International Human Rights Day. But Police Maj. Gen. Joel Coronel, director of the PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group maintained that the arrests of activists were legitimate and based on “credible information.”
The members of the Makabayan bloc are Bayan Muna Party-list Reps. Ferdinand Gaite, Carlos Zarate, and Eufemia Cullamat; ACT-Teachers Rep. France Castro, Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas, and Kabataan Party-list Rep. Sarah Elago.
