4 farmer-activists detained at provincial jail

THE four farmer activists arrested in a raid in Villanueva, Misamis Oriental last week were transferred to the Misamis Oriental Provincial Jail (MOPJ) and were treated as political detainees, a jail official said on Monday, February 4.

MOPJ warden Dominador Tagarda said Gerry and Gerald Basahon and Marivic and Mylene Coleta, who were branded by the government security forces as high-ranking leaders of the communist New People's Army (NPA), will be treated as high-risk political detainees.

The four members of the legitimate peasant group Misamis Oriental Farmers Association were transferred to the MOPJ last Friday.

"Para sa amo sa MOPJ ang pagtratar nato sa ila is political detainees I don't know kung matawag ba sila nga NPA," Tagarda said.

"Ma-consider sila nga high-risk detainees buot pasabot dili angay kumpyansaan kay dagko man ang ilang hugpong," he added.

Tagarda said the four have undergone medical examination yesterday though they have no complaints regarding their health condition.

The jail warden also said they will be put on a regular detention cell and will be treated equally as the other inmates.

Tagarda has reminded them to follow the policies and regulations inside the detention facility.

"Sagol sila sa uban nga piniriso magamay or dako ang kaso patas ang atong pagtagad sa ila tanan," Tagarda said.

"Atong gihangyo sa ila nga tumanon lang ang mga balaod sa sulod sama paglimpyo sa ilang higdaanan, palibot, pagrespeto sa mga empleyado ug kaubang piniriso aron makakuha sila sa Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA)," he added.

The GCTA is a program that could free inmates with good records and have shown good conduct while inside the detention facility.

At present, there are six political detainees inside the MOPJ.

On the other hand, human rights lawyers are raising questions why lumad leader Datu Jomorito Goaynon and peasant group leader Ireneo Udarbe remained in the CIDG detention cell.

Lawyer Czarina Musni of the Union of People's Lawyers (UPLM) and the legal counsel of the six activists said they worry for the safety and security of Goaynon and Udarbe inside the military camp in Patag, this city.

Musni said while the CIDG transferred the detention of four MOFA members to the MOPJ, it is also proper to transfer the detention of Goaynon and Udarbe to other jail facility other than the CIDG.

"Mao na among pangutana ug galihukon karon ngano nga gi-transfer ang MOFA4 unya ang CDO2 nagpabilin sa CIDG nga parehas man sila nag-waive sa ilang rights and nagrequest og preliminary investigation," Musni said.

"Ang among kabalaka ang ilang security and safety diha sulod sa kampo kay apparently ingon niana nga gitawag sila nga NPA leaders naa nay interrogation unya pugos-pugoson sila og paangkon sa dili mao nga moresulta sa psychological and mental torture kung dili man physical torture," she added.

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