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Message
from Political Prisoners 22 February 2001 THE ARROYO GOVERNMENT CARRY OUT
OUR ACTUAL RELEASE! FREE
ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS! Political prisoners from Davao Penal Colony, Tagum City Jail, Cebu, Bohol, Samar, Leyte, Western Mindanao, Southern Mindanao, Negros, Bicol, Southern Tagalog, Central Luzon, as well as Lorna Rivera-Baba in Abra Provincial Jail, Leoncio Pitao at ISAFP detention center in Camp Aguinaldo, our 26 Muslim brothers in PAOCTF detention center in Camp Crame, and six peasant detainees from Occidental Mindoro, known as Mamburao 6 and presently incarcerated at Quezon City Jail, will be joining the hunger strike. We will go on a four-day hunger strike to dramatize our condition inside our prison cells and to symbolize our nationally-coordinated political action to demand for the release of all political prisoners. While we welcome the efforts for our release extended to us by the Department of Justice under Secretary Hernando Perez in reviewing our cases and processing the recommendation for our release, we cannot permit the deliberate sabotage and orchestrated obtrusion of our freedom by some militarist-minded officials and US imperialist puppets inside Malacañang. We and our
families are enraged and distressed over the empty promises made by the
Arroyo administration on our most-awaited freedom. We condemn its squally
tactics of using political prisoners as pawns and hostages for its
supposed negotiations with its perceived enemies. This continued maneuver and seemingly orchestrated obstruction of our freedom by those in the echelons of political power in Malacañang compel us to carry through our struggle and launch a nationwide hunger-strike. Behind bars, we refuse to yield the struggle for which we were imprisoned and denied of our liberties, for which hundreds of our comrades and Filipino masses have laid down their lives. We wish to stress that fact that we are not indebted to the Arroyo administration. We assert that the freedom of all political prisoners is but part of the gains of the people's struggle - of those who fought to topple a tyrant and kubrador, of those who fought for freedom and democracy. Likewise, we recognize and appreciate the efforts of some government officials in facilitating our release, especially Justice Secretary Hernando Perez, and those who have treated us humanely and with dignity. Our hunger strike should serve as a constant reminder to the Arroyo administration of the firm resolve of all political prisoners to oppose any form of manipulation, sabotage, and deception employed by the militarists in the government. We warn the Arroyo administration that we, political prisoners, will never waver in our organized and nationally-coordinated political action unless it fulfills its obligation to the people on the release of political prisoners. We are political prisoners, and not common criminals. We fight for national freedom, genuine democracy and social justice. We fought against governments that perpetrated violence and human rights violations directed on the masses of workers and peasants, youth and students. It is but ironic that those who are supposed to be behind bars – the hoodlums-in-uniforms and criminals hiding behind official emblems in the bureaucracy - remain scot-free and beyond the bounds of law and justice. We cannot let ourselves fall victims to the government's deceptive schemes, ceaseless propaganda campaign and empty promises. We reiterate our calls: RELEASE IMMEDIATELY AND UNCONDITIONALLY ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS! We likewise challenge the Arroyo administration: ASSERT OUR NATION'S SOVEREIGNTY! NO TO U.S. IMPERIALIST DICTATES AND INTERVENTION SCHEMES! FREE DONATO CONTINENTE AND JUANITO ITAAS! FREE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS! EDELISIO HORTELLANO Spokesperson 26 Political Prisoners Building 11B, Maximum Security Compound New Bilibid Prisons, Muntinlupa
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