Four more political prisoners from the Negros Occidental District Jail (NODJ) in Bago City were released this week, adding to the wave of recent acquittals and dismissals since February 27.
Clydie Sabate, 32, cultural worker from Teatro Obrero of Escalante City, was freed on March 20 after posting bail for charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives and obstruction of justice. She had been detained for six years and two months.
The National Federation of Sugar Workers (NFSW) previously reported that Sabate was at work when she was abducted by state agents on January 3, 2019. She was allegedly mentally tortured, stripped, and forced at gunpoint to admit she was a member of the New People’s Army (NPA). The group claimed she was also subjected to heavy physical abuse while in captivity.
Kenneth Nabong, 33, and Jason John Gazon, 32, both from Himamaylan City, were also released the same day after the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 55 dismissed their murder and attempted murder charges. They were jailed for three years and nine months.
Reymark Kisan, 29, also from Himamaylan City, was freed on March 18 after spending two years and one month in detention.
Just recently, an Iloilo City court dismissed terrorism financing charges against three development workers from Negros, citing lack of jurisdiction and failure to constitute an offense. Federico Salvilla, Perla Pavillar, and Dharyl Albañez were cleared on March 14 after the court granted their Joint Motion to Quash.
Kapatid-Negros Occidental said these releases should prompt a review of cases against detained activists and suspected political dissenters nationwide.
The group claimed these cases were initiated by the Inter-Agency Legal Action Group of the Western Visayas Regional Task Force ELCAC, which was created in 2018 under former President Rodrigo Duterte and continues under the current administration.
“It is a noteworthy fact that this brutal campaign against activists and suspected political dissenters is led in Western Visayas by its spokesperson Prosecutor Flosemer Chris Gonzales of the Department of Justice,” the group said.
“Between the four released political prisoners, they spent an average of 3 years and 8 months of unjust imprisonment, which deprived them of precious time to help their impoverished families and serve their suffering communities,” the group added.
Negros Island Region has 104 political prisoners, with 53 in Negros Oriental and 51 in Negros Occidental, the highest number among all regions in the country.
Paghimutad 