Progressive old solons decry political lawsuits over the 12-year-old case's takeover

"This attempt to restrict my freedom and stop my pleas and social engagement is happening in the shadow of the Duterte-Arroyo-Marcos alliance."

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Bulatlat.com

MANILA – Legislators of Progressive Partylist Groups Decryed the Issue of Orders arresting them by Judge Evelyn Atienza-Turla of the Palayan Regional Court 40 on a double murder charge against them back in 2006.

In a resolution released on July 11, Turla opined that "there is no such thing as murder." there is the probable cause on charges laid against the representatives of Bayan Muna Teddy Casino and Satur Ocampo, Liza Maza Commissioner of the National Commission to Combat Poverty, and the former agrarian Reform Secretary Rafael Mariano so ordered the arrest of the four leaders. A charge of double murder is a non-bailable offense.

In their statements, the four strongly condemned the resumption of the case. Casino called it "a desperate and carefree witch hunt for the Gloria Macapagal Arroyo regime against progressive partylists".

"This attempt to restrict my freedom and to prohibit my stance and my social commitment is happening in the shadow of Duterte- The Arroyo-Marcos alliance," Casino adds.

Mariano says that the case is "unfounded, malicious and fabricated".

Lawyer Rachel F. Pastores, Senior Counsel of the Public Interest Law Center (PILC), said a press conference on Friday July 27, that the case is a Remainder of the lawsuits filed against the Batasan 6. The Batasan 6 were Maza, Ocampo, Casino, Mariano, former Bayan Muna representative Joel Virador and fire Crispin Beltran of Anakpawis Partylist.

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Ocampo, in his statement, stated that the case filed against them was" patently unfounded. "[19659002] political Persecution [19659006PendantcetempsMazadanssadéclarationadénoncélapersécutionpolitiquecontreelleparles"droitiersetlesmilitaristes"quilaveulenthorsduNAPCElleaditquepresquedèsledébutlesmilitantsdedroiteetmilitaristesdugouvernementDuterteontessayéd'enleverlesprogressistesquipoussentpourdesréformesdanslegouvernement

She cited the dismissal of Mariano as secretary of agrarian reform and Judy Taguiwalo "attempts Ka Paeng Mariano for agrarian reform on a large scale a vigorous policy against the conversion of land use met with strong resistance from the families of homeowners, most of whom are also in a position of power, and rejected his appointment as Sec retaire of the agrarian reform. Judy Taguiwalo's crusade against political patronage in service delivery also ended as the secretary of the Department of Social Development and Welfare, "she said

. and an active advocate for the Filipino poor, by promoting meaningful policy reforms that are needed to end poverty with the broader participation of grassroots sectors. "

" The political persecution under the Duterte regime is part of the growing attacks on the freedom of the true advocates of land reform and human rights defenders, "said Mariano.

The Makabayan bloc also condemned the arrest warrant against their four former colleagues saying that it was a "Arroyo's classic move when she was in power." The representative of the ACT Teachers' Party Antonio Tinio said that during the Arroyo regime, a number of activists who were persecuted with cases invented as the 72 activists from the southern region of Tagalog who were accused of murder as part of an ambush in Oriental Mindoro.

Leaving the Case

Former Bayan Muna representative, Neri Colmenares, said the charges against the four should be dropped as it has been proven that the claims were false.

"Let us help our former colleagues and call for the immediate abandonment of the case," said Taguiwalo, adding that attacks against progressive leaders should also be taken into account.

The satirist Mae Paner of the #BabaeAko campaign said that it is ironic that those who help the poor are those who will be detained while those who "plunder the nation's resources and public funds" are always on the run.

"Can we imagine them inside the prison? They think that imprisoning them will silence us (critics) they are wrong. We will unite more and we will be stronger because we are with them in the fight for the truth, "she said in the Philippines.

Former Congressman Lorenzo Erin Tanada also questioned the timing of the arrest. "We do not know if this has to do with the successful unity of the different groups in the speech of the nation state of last Monday (protest) .But we will not falter in our struggle," he said. he said.