Given the constraints they face, political prisoners deserve our utmost respect for choosing defiance instead of compromise and collaboration with the class enemy. They provide a dignified example of how to live a life devoted to the cause of fighting with the oppressed. Their activism is demonized and criminalized by those who see no evil in the obscene hoarding of the nation’s wealth by the elite and the exploitation of the poor and powerless by those in power.
Tags: political prisoners
First Person | One year in detention
Jail, after all, is not exempt from society’s great divide based on economic and social status. And even here, the movement for freedom and democracy considers our situation as part of the struggle.
Kin of political prisoners ask high court to ‘promulgate writ of kalayaan’
“It is a travesty of justice that pork barrel mastermind Janet Napoles has been acquitted along with her cohorts who are now sitting senators, but no political prisoner whose cases are made up has been included in any of the trumpeted mass releases of elderly PDLs since the start of the pandemic in 2020.”
Rights group calls on courts to release sick and elderly political prisoners
According to Karapatan, these political prisoners were wrongfully arrested and rights have been violated in the course of their arrest.
3 political prisoners want to be home for Christmas
Kapatid compared the bail amount to the P300,000 ($5,371.50) bail posted by former first lady Imelda Marcos after she was convicted by the Sandiganbayan for using her government position to maintain Swiss bank accounts while her husband was in office.
Under Marcos Jr., political prisoners say same repressive policies still in place
“State security forces continue to perpetrate with impunity extrajudicial killings, torture, forced disappearances, illegal arrests, and detention based on trumped-up charges.”
How senatoriables view Anti-Terror Act, peace talks and political prisoners
With eight days before the May 9 elections, Bulatlat takes a look at the senatorial candidates’ statements on the ATA as well as their stance on peace talks and on political prisoners.
Rights group says PH jails ‘least safe from Omicron’
“The extreme congestion of Philippine prisons create a perfect petri dish to seed immense infections by the highly transmissible Omicron variant.”
Group welcomes release of longest-held political prisoner
“We commend the decision of the court and we hope this will presage more releases of political prisoners who are foisted with trumped-up charges in retaliation for their activism or to make them the fall guy to take the blame for NPA operations.”
Guilty Imelda still free as elderly, ill political prisoners remain behind bars
These 17 cases of political prisoners highlight the injustices of the times. The calls for their release remain amid the continued freedom of a dictator’s wife known for her Imeldific lifestyle.
Palawan court denies ailing political prisoner’s plea for compassionate release
“It should bother everyone but it doesn’t bother the court why a bedridden old man, completely disabled and incapable of any self-care, cannot benefit from the equity of the law that was used in principle to grant bail for jailed and convicted politicians accused of non bailable high crimes.”