More than 30 activists freed, a week after raid in Negros

More than 30 out of 57 activists were freed a week after authorities arrested them in a raid in Negros Occidental, according to a report by Rida Reyes in State of the Nation's Address with Jessica Soho on Friday.

On Wednesday, the Bacolod City Prosecutor's Office ordered the release of the activists due to lack of basis on allegations that they are members of the New People's Army.

The 13 minors who were apprehended during the raid were also released and brought back to their parents.

Eleven union leaders and human rights activists are still detained for alleged possession of illegal firearms and explosives, progressive groups considered the release a success due to the administration's failure to silence its critics.

Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) said  the Negros seemingly became a "laboratory" for a full scale national crackdown against activists.

"To justify all these blatant violations, ang justification ng police at military ay mga rebelde naman yan, mga NPA naman yan. Wala naman 'yun sa warrant, walang kinalaman 'yun, but that is now being used as a justification to crack down on perfectly legitimate legal organizations," Bayan spokesperson Teddy Casino said.

The 3rd Infantry Division of the Philippine Army, meanwhile, denied the statement, saying that there was no national crackdown. They also maintained that they had proof of the charges against the activists.

"Patuloy rin namin gawin yun. Hindi kami magsasawa, araw-araw magre-raid kami. Kung nasa kanila iyon, mga lugar na yun, then we will raid their places," 3rd Infatry spokesperson Captain Cenon Pancito III said. — Joahna Lei Casilao/BAP, GMA News