Political prisoner hopes to be out of jail soon

ALFREDO Mapano a.k.a. “Ka Paris” is hopeful he will soon be out of the Misamis Oriental Provincial Jail (MOPJ) after he was arrested and incarcerated for three years.

Cagayan de Oro Archbishop Antonio Ledesma together with Misamis Oriental Governor Oscar Moreno and Vice Governor Norris Babiera expressed willingness to place Mapano under their custody as they wrote a letter to Secretary Teresita Deles of the Office of the Presidential Adviser of the Peace Process (Oppap).

Mapano said the letter has gained support when Senator Teofisto Guingona also signed it, urging his “custodial.”

“This is a good development because these are influential people. But I will just wait for the result,” Mapano told Sun.Star.

Mapano, a peace consultant of the National Democratic Front, and four other political inmates started their seven day-fasting last Friday, which will end until September 21, as a sign of protest of the “Never Again to Martial Law.”

Babiera said he hopes the letter will soon be given attention.

“I can say that it would be good if Mapano would be under our custody so that he would no longer go back to doing underground activities,” he said.

Along with Mapano are the more than 300 political prisoners in the country who also held a simultaneous nationwide fasting.

Five political prisoners in Malaybalay and Valencia City jails also joined in the nationwide fasting.

Pedro Codaste, together with Fortunato Hebia, Lito Tamunday, Salvador Arellano and Eduardo Hortillano, in a statement accused the government under President Benigno Aquino III of being not serious with the peace negotiation between the NDFP.

“We, political prisoners at Malaybalay and Valencia City Jails, in the confine of our cells, joined the call together with our comrades in various jails and detention centers nationwide, for the Aquino administration to Free All Political Prisoners through a general, unconditional and omnibus amnesty proclamation (GUOA),” the statement read.

Jerry Orcullo, former president of the Cagayan de Oro Press Club and a victim of Martial Law in 1972, was also arrested and tortured in Cebu. He was also jailed in 1983 at the MOPJ and Camp Alagar this city.

“I, being a student activist, join all political prisoners and victims of Martial Law in condemning it as the darkest page in history,” Orcullo said in a text message.