Bello: Gov’t doing best to free detainees before yearend

Government peace panel chair Silvestre Bello III said the government was doing its best to process the release of at least 20 political detainees before the year ends on Sunday.

Bello, who is also the labor secretary, said in an interview over Radyo Inquirer 990 AM that the government has been trying to expedite the release of around 17 to 20 “elderly and sickly” political detainees, who will be freed on humanitarian considerations.

“Dumadaan na po sa proseso at pinipilit namin na mapalaya natin sila pero kasi ang problema dadaan ito sa legal process,” Bello said.

“May kabagalan but we have to understand that we also have to observe judicial process,” he said.

(We are processing and are striving for their release, but the problem is that this still has to undergo a legal process.

(It is quite slow, but we have to understand that we also have to observe the judicial process.)

Bello chairs the government peace panel negotiating with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, the political arm of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).

He was among the members of President Rodrigo Duterte’s Cabinet who attended the 48th founding anniversary celebration of the CPP in Paquibato District in Davao. Bello also gave this assurance before the CPP members during the anniversary last Dec. 26.

After rejecting the demand of the Communist Party to release 130 political prisoners, Duterte agreed to free at least 20 political detainees either through pardon or “bail recognizance.” CDG/rga

READ: Duterte to free 20 political prisoners