5 Misamis Oriental detainees want amnesty

IN TIME for the commemoration of Martial Law, five political detainees at the Misamis Oriental Provincial Jail have joined other political prisoners throughout the country for a hunger strike, which started Friday and ends on September 21.

The political prisoners’ coordinated actions, aside from commemorating the 40th anniversary of Martial Law, seek to urge President Benigno Aquino to consider their plight and call for amnesty under his administration.

Alfredo Mapano, alias “Ka Paris,” then regional head of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) for Northern Mindanao, told Sun.Star that skipping breakfast and lunch is their way of pressuring Aquino to give action to their demand.

At the same time, Mapano expressed dismay with the Aquino administration for allegedly “not doing enough” to comply with its commitments in the many bilateral agreements it forged with the National Democratic Front (NDF).

“Sobra pa sa dismaya kay nagtuo mi nga sa wala pa siya nakalingkod mohimo siya og parehas sa gibuhat sa iyang inahan sa una nga gatosan ka mga political detainees ang gihatagan og amnesty pero siya karon wala,” he said.

Mapano said Aquino first gave amnesty to the military officers who staged a rebellion.

He said they would not want to believe that Aquino has no compassion towards political prisoners and their families by keeping them locked up in jails and by not pursuing their immediate release.

“Siguro mahadlok siya nga kudetahan sa military kung pagawason niya ang mga political detainees ug ma-akusahan nga pro-leftist,” Mapano said.

Aside from Mapano, the other detainees who joined the fasting are Vicente Libona, Alexander Yamson, Leneil Marianas and Arnuldo Saliring.