For
the first time in 15 years, Rolieto Anquillano walked out of Building 11 of the
National Bilibid Prisons without guards. He
was not garbed in a regulation tangerine shirt.
No metal chains bound his hands.
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For the first time in 15 years, Rolieto Anquillano walked out of Building 11 of the National Bilibid Prisons without guards. He was not garbed in a regulation tangerine shirt. No metal chains bound his hands.
On March 5, Anquillano together with seven other political prisoners, were freed from many years of detention at the Bilibid. They were the first batch of political prisoners released under the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Three more were discharged last March 7 from the Bilibid.
Last month, Arroyo ordered the release of 73 political prisoners. Human-rights advocates, however, are demanding the freedom of the 252 political prisoners languishing in jails all over the country.
Aside from Anquillano, released were Amancio Mesario, Danilo Navasquez, Manuel Isetada, Tomas Brusas, Romilo Mapinhag, Alberto Beron, Oscar Oliva, Nieto Duque, Nestor Javier, and Pablito Plaza.
From the Bilibid in Muntinlupa City, they went to the Bayan office in Quezon City where they were welcomed by their friends and families. On March 8, an ecumenical service and thanksgiving celebration were offered for them by the Miriam Youth for Justice and Peace at the Miriam College in Quezon City.
While grateful for their freedom, the political prisoners said they would remain steadfast in calling for freedom for the others who are jailed for their political offenses.
"I cannot say I am completely happy until my fellow political prisoners are given their long overdue freedom," said Pablito Plaza, jailed since 1995.
At the celebration of the International Women's Day on March 8, the militant women's group Gabriela also urged Arroyo to order the release of 25 women and children being held by the government in various parts of the country.
Many political prisoners remain detained at the Davao Penal Colony, Tagum City Jail, Cebu, Bohol, Samar, Leyte, Western Mindanao, Southern Mindanao, Negros, Bicol, Southern Tagalog, and Central Luzon.
These include church workerLorna Rivera-Baba at the Abra Provincial Jail, Leoncio Pitao at the ISAFP detention center in Camp Aguinaldo, the 26 Muslims at the PAOCTF detention center in Camp Crame, and the six peasant detainees from Occidental Mindoro, known as the Mamburao 6, presently at the Quezon City Jail. #
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