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“We had to start from scratch. We still cannot sleep at night because of the memories of our arrests. I am still reeling from the anxiety and trauma.”
Under President Rodrigo Duterte, the wee hours of the morning have been filled not with calmness but with anxiety as government critics fear they may be the next targets of illegal arrests and even graver rights abuses.
Acknowledging that the application and implementation of search warrants are “susceptible to abuse,” a Manila regional trial court last Wednesday acquitted an activist couple of the non-bailable charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives (grenades) filed by the police.
“This is a very welcome news as we gear for the commemoration of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (IDEVAW) -- which is historically rooted in anti-dictatorship struggle of women activists.”
Gabriela condemned the arrest and called for the immediate release of Agovida and Bartolome.
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