Wife of cancer-stricken political detainee appeals for clemency

The wife of a cancer-stricken political detainee is asking President Benigno Aquino III to order the release of his husband from the National Bilibid Prison. In a hand-written letter to the president, Clarita Umbrero said, “Mahal kong Presidente Noynoy Aquino, Sir, sana palayain mo na ang aking asawa. Para naman makapiling namin siya [Mariano Unbero] ng kanyang mga anak o maalagaan ng mabuti sa kanyang maikling buhay dito sa mundo." Also, Mrs. Umbrero had requested human rights group Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP) to help her send to media her letter of appeal. Mariano Umbrero, 64, is in an extremely critical state due to non-small cell carcinoma stage 4, the TFPD said. “The case of Tatay Umbrero needs immediate and decisive action directly by the President himself. Time is running out for Tatay Umbrero," said Emmanuel Amistad, TFDP's executive director. According to the group, Mrs. Umbrero, together with representatives of TFDP and the Medical Action Group (MAG), informed on June 24 Commission on Human Rights (CHR) chairperson Etta Rosales about her appeal, at an event organized in observance of the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. Rosales immediately called Justice DOJ Secretary Leila De Lima, who replied by asking Clarita to write a letter of appeal and send it to her through fax. An excerpt of Clarita's letter to the president which she also sent to De Lima reads: "Sa katunayan po Mr. President, hindi po alam ng aking asawa na siya ay nag-stage 4 na, dahil po hindi ko kaya na sabihin sa kanya ang tunay niyang kalagayan. Kasi parati po niyang sinasabi na magpapagamot po daw siya upang madagdagan pa ang kanyang buhay. Kasi po naawa siya sa kanyang mga anak dahil hindi pa tapos ng pag-aaral ang mga bata." “We received information that there is a long list of applications for pardon and parole pending in the Office of the President. If those in-charge are still looking into this list thoroughly for some reason, we urge that they prioritize Tatay Umbrero’s case," said Amistad. “We ask the President to heed a wife’s appeal on behalf of her dying husband. Let Tatay Umbrero spend his remaining days in freedom," Amistad added. As of June 2011, there were 324 political prisoners languishing in jails nationwide according to TFDP’s records including Tatay Umbrero and Juanito Itaas, the longest held political in the country. — Egay Cabalitan/LBG GMA News