President Rodrigo Roa Duterte. Presidential Photo
Following the granting of executive clemency to actor Robin Padilla, a militant group is hopeful that President Rodrigo Duterte will do the same for political prisoners.
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) secretary-general Renato Reyes on Wednesday reiterated calls to free detained consultants of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) amid ongoing peace negotiations between the government and communist rebels.
READ: Robin Padilla gets absolute pardon from Duterte
“We congratulate our friend and comrade Robin Padilla for the absolute pardon granted to him by Pres. Rodrigo Duterte. Robin has supported many people’s issues and we are happy that his civil and political rights have been fully restored. We hope Rodrigo Duterte will now do the same for the 3 NDFP consultants convicted of false charges; Eduardo Sarmiento, Leopoldo Caloza and Emeterio Antalan,” Reyes said in a statement.
“We expect Duterte to fulfill his commitment of freeing all political prisoners through an amnesty proclamation. The release of political prisoners is a matter of justice as they are facing trumped up or false charges,” he added.
Duterte on Tuesday said he granted absolute pardon to Padilla, who was convicted of illegal possession of firearms in 1994. He was ordered released from jail and pardoned by then President Fidel Ramos but it was not absolute. The absolute pardon would restore Padilla’s full civil and political rights, such as the right to vote, seek public office, travel and be issued a Philippine passport.
The President said he was also considering granting pardon to sick and elderly inmates in time for the Christmas holidays.
Reyes maintained that the release of all political prisoners would boost peace talks with the NDFP.
READ: Free all political prisoners? ‘In reasonable time,’ says Bello
“Their release is a matter or obligation as the GRP is a signatory to a human rights agreement with the NDFP…They should not be held hostage nor used as leverage in peace negotiations. It would be tragic if the political prisoners, including those elderly and sickly, will spend another Christmas in jail,” he said.
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III earlier said the administration will work on the release of more than 400 political prisoners “within reasonable time” before the signing of a joint, permanent ceasefire agreement between the government and communist rebels.
READ: Political prisoners to be freed in batches
The first batch of detainees released were those deemed consultants in the peace talks in Oslo, Norway. Bello said the next batch will include women, the sickly and the elderly. RAM