“We were surprised that she was [arrested]. So we still really don’t know why she was red-tagged because she hasn’t encountered any red-tagging before.”

By Aaron Ernest Cruz
Bulatlat.com

MANILA – Family and human rights groups called for the immediate release of women and children’s rights advocate Salome “Sally” Ujano in a press conference on July 10. 

Detained at the Correctional Institute for Women at Taguig City, Ujano, 67, has health issues due to her age. Her family said they are suffering financially and emotionally. 

Ujano was arrested in November 2021 for a rebellion case filed in 2005. At the time of her arrest, she was executive director of the Women Crisis Center dealing with countless initiatives for women’s rights. Ujano was convicted of the charges last year. 

Read: Anti-child trafficking advocate arrested over rebellion raps
Read: For kin and advocates, justice remains elusive for children’s rights defender Sally Ujano

She was remembered by co-workers and loved ones as empathetic and caring not just to clients but also to people surrounding her. What impressed them was her patience in dealing with the victims of abuse and her dedication to listen to them.

Kim Ujano, one of her three children, recalled the dedication of her mother’s advocacy in championing women and children’s rights. “She is the kind of person who is open-minded, always listening to everyone’s problems, and she doesn’t choose whom to help and listen to. In our community, if someone asks for even a little food, my mom gives it. In other words, she helps all kinds of people,” Kim told Bulatlat.

Although she was juggling motherhood and being a dedicated rights defender, Kim said that she still managed to make quality time for her children.

“Mom is busy with her advocacy for women’s and children’s rights. There are weeks when she comes home and weeks when she doesn’t. They have a place rented in Quezon City to save on transportation costs. Sometimes, I also sleep there,” Kim said. “Our main bonding activity is going to church every weekend and then eating out. She also tags me along during their Christmas party.” 

Her family is still puzzled over her arrest given her visibility in her advocacy, especially her being a national coordinator for Philippines Against Child Trafficking (PACT). 

“We were surprised that she was [arrested]. So we still really don’t know why she was red-tagged because she hasn’t encountered any red-tagging before,” Kim said. 

The confinement of their mother from 2021 until now leaves them in sorrow and burden since Ujano was the breadwinner of their family.

“What happened to us was that I was on and off at work. We had to visit her and then my siblings attended a meeting with lawyers to talk about our mother’s case. In other words, our schedule was messed up. We faced financial burden because mom is the breadwinner of the family, her savings just ended up on legal fees,” Kim said.

Protect human rights defenders

Ujano is one of the human rights defenders arrested during the height of the pandemic where many rights defenders and activists are red-tagged and unjustly arrested and detained. 

In a solidarity event for Ujano convened by Philippines Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA) on July 10, they said that human rights defenders like Ujano should be protected and not imprisoned. 

“Nanay Sally does not belong in prison. Her continued detention is a clear injustice rooted in red-tagging used to silence human rights advocates. Her release is not just about one person, it reflects our country’s commitment to human rights and democratic principles,” PAHRA secretary-general Egay Cabalitan said.

Allied rights groups also requested a dialogue with the administration of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and urged it to recognize Ujano’s four decades of service to the Filipino people as a dedicated human rights defender.

They also urged Marcos Jr. to prioritize the Human Rights Defenders Protection Bill and certify it as urgent if the government is serious about upholding the essence of democracy in the Philippines.

Read: UN expert urges the passage of bill protecting Filipino human rights defenders

They also condemned all policies and practices that are being used to harass and intimidate rights groups defenders such as the red-tagging, the use of Anti-Terrorism Act, and all terrorism-related charges.

There are currently almost 800 political prisoners according to the record of Karapatan, 592 political prisoners under then President Rodrigo Duterte while there are 160 under the current administration. 

Despite the hardship that Ujano’s family is facing, they are still moving forward in quest of justice for their mother. “The encouragement and solidarity we’ve received remind us that truth and justice are still possible. We continue to stand with our mother–and for everyone who has been unjustly silenced or accused,” Klaro Ujano, also one of Ujano’s children, said in a statement. (AMU, DAA)