Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — The people at the heart of this particular protest are someone else’s father, mother, husband, wife, and child.
They are the 400 political prisoners hoping to be released soon. But it’s been too long a wait.
One of the people taking part in the protest action is Novinm Murillo, who was a high school freshman when her father was arrested.
Her father, Norberto, was a consultant to farmer-organizations.
Eight years later and she’s still waiting for her father to walk free.
She said that her father is now 66 years old, and it is not right that her father spends the rest of his life in prison because of a made-up case.
Murrillo admits growing up without a father was painful. She said it was difficult to watch her mother care for their family by herself. Adding that they struggled knowing that her father was suffering as well.
Boy Cadano’s only son, Guiller, was arrested while doing research in Nueva Ecija.
A University of the Philippines graduate and cum laude, his son was slapped with illegal possession of firearms and explosives.
Cadano said there was no truth to the allegations. He said he told his son they would fight the charges.
It’s a fight, Cadano says, he will never give up. But he clarifies he still believes in President Rodrigo Duterte.
Murillo and Cadano are among the families of political prisoners who started fasting in Mendiola, Manila for the release of their loved ones.
Some of them will go on hunger strike until December 7 and will extend until December 10 – on International Human Rights Day.
Tinay Palabay of Karapatan says 130 of these political prisoners are sick, while 33 are elderly and another 33 are women.
On the presidential pardon given to four communist rebels, Palabay says this is a welcome move but they have yet to see them finally released.
In a statement, the government cites the old guidelines of the Presidential Committee on Bail, Recognizance, and Pardon as a reason why the releases take time.
It says the guidelines need amendments to expedite the release, which Palabay describes as added burden.
Palabay said, “This is also subjecting the political prisoners to another pile of bureaucratic mess. It’s the same legal and bureaucratic mess that put them in jail.”
These families and human rights groups are appealing to President Duterte to exercise his political will to expedite the release of political prisoners, and should do away with all the technicalities.
