Rights group reiterates call for release of all political prisoners

Human rights group Karapatan reiterated on Thursday its call for the release all political prisoners as the second round of peace talks between the government of the Philippines (GPH) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) in Oslo, Norway begins. 

"As the peace talks move forward, we remind the [GPH] of its commitment to fully adhere to the Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) by releasing all political prisoners,” Karapatan Secretary General Cristina Palabay said in a statement.

Signed in May 1998 in The Hague, The Netherlands, CARHRIHL aimed to serve justice to the victims of human rights abuses and to uphold the principles of international humanitarian law.

"The CARHRIHL also upholds the Hernandez political offense doctrine that disallows the filing of criminal charges that are to be subsumed under the single charge/political offense of rebellion. Therefore, all political prisoners, unjustly charged with common crimes by previous GPH regimes, should be released," Palabay added.

As of August 31, there were 504 political prisoners in the country facing trumped-up charges, Karapatan claimed, adding that all the charges were filed by the Armed Forces of the Philippines using false witnesses.

Not yet included on the list are the cases against peasant organizers Edwin Dematera and Adrian dela Cruz, who were allegedly illegally arrested last Tuesday in Magallanes, Sorsogon and are detained in the Cabid-An police station.

“The practice of filing trumped-up criminal charges against activists, majority are working on peasants' concerns and struggles, should be stopped immediately,” Palabay added.

In an earlier statement, Communist Party of the Philippines founding Chairman Jose Maria Sison said the GPH has agreed to “immediately recommend to President Rodrigo Duterte the issuance of an Amnesty Proclamation, subject to concurrence of Congress, for the release of prisoners who are listed by the NDFP and who have been arrested, imprisoned, charged, and/or convicted for alleged acts or omissions within the ambit of the Revised Penal Code or special laws in connection with alleged crimes in pursuit of one’s political beliefs.”

As the new round of talks began in Oslo on Thursday, new NDFP peace panel chairman Fidel Agcaoili also reiterated the call for the Duterte administration to "release [the] more than 400 political prisoners."

He said that such move could help accelerate the peace negotiations. — Erwin S. Colcol/LBG, GMA News