Rep. Arlene Brosas —Photo from the House of Representatives
MANILA, Philippines — Gabriela party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas has condemned the issuance of arrest warrants against environmental activists Jhed Tamano and Jonila Castro by a Bulacan court for grave oral defamation.
Brosas’ call came days before the onset of Women’s Month in March — which celebrates the contributions and struggles of women around the world.
READ: Bulacan court orders arrest of 2 environmental activists
According to the lawmaker, the challenges faced by Tamano and Castro, which she called “a blatant attack on their right to freedom of expression and dissent,” also showed the issues faced by women activists, including those advocating for human rights and environmental justice.
“Tamano and Castro, who have been vocal advocates for environmental protection, previously reported being subjected to abduction by state forces. The recent court order stands in stark contradiction to the Supreme Court’s acknowledgment of the validity of their concerns, as evidenced by the granting of a writ of amparo and habeas corpus,” Brosas said in a statement.
“It is deeply troubling that while the highest court of the land recognizes the grave nature of the situation faced by Tamano and Castro, a lower court has chosen to pursue legal action against them. This sends a chilling message to all activists and human rights defenders who courageously speak out against injustice,” she added.
In line with this, Brosas likewise called the authorities to revoke the warrants of arrest they issued and to put an end to harassment against the activists and other environmental defenders.
Earlier, Wednesday, Castro and Tamano posted bail amounting to P18,000 after the Municipal Trial Court of Doña Remedios Trinidad ordered their arrest last February 2.
The same court set the arraignment and pretrial of the two activists on March 15.
The Department of Justice authorized filing charges against Tamano and Castro in January. This was after the two revealed in a press conference that they were kidnapped by military personnel, while authorities said that they were former rebel insurgents who had turned themselves in.