Supporters of detained Bayan Muna Representative Satur Ocampo started on Thursday an online petition for the immediate release of the activist lawmaker who stands accused of multiple murder in connection with an alleged purging of members of New People’s Army (NPA) during the martial law years.

Ocampo has been detained at the Manila Police District (MPD) since last week when he surfaced after a few days of hiding while he prepared his counter affidavit to the charge of multiple murder.

Anthony Ian Cruz, Ocampo’s spokesperson, said the petition which can be accessed at http://freesatur.bayanmuna.net is principally for overseas friends and allies of the partylist representative.

The website entitled “Free Satur! Stand for Justice!" aims to pressure the Philippine government by letting the people sign a prepared open statement, gather support and signatures and sending it to government officials.

The petition will be addressed to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez, Philippine National Police chief Director General Oscar Calderon, House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr, Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno, and Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo.

The site will automatically send the petition to the mentioned officials through electronic mail once a user signs on and clicks the submit button.

Cruz said even before the launching of the online petition, international parliamentarians have already emailed statements calling for the release of Ocampo. Among them were 24 members of the Swiss parliament, four Belgian parliamentarians, two Hong Kong legislators, one Australian senator, and one each from Cambodia and Denmark.

The Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments of the government and counsels for Ocampo on his petition for certiorari against an arrest order on his alleged involvement in the murder of communist rebels some 23 years ago in an en banc hearing Friday around 1 p.m. at the court's old session hall at Padre Faura, Manila.

The court has granted Ocampo's request to be permitted to attend the hearing. - Amita Legaspi, GMANews.TV