Fabricated charges against Tondo 3 were dismissed. Free all political prisoners!
A Manila court has successfully dismissed the fabricated charges concerning the alleged illegal possession of firearms and explosives against Tondo– Reina Mae Nasino Ram Bautista, and Alma Moran. The acquittal decision was dated July 17, Monday, with its public disclosure occurring only yesterday, July 27.
The court’s decision was rendered in favor of the accused activists, specifically in response to the submission of “demurrer evidence” by Tondo 3’s legal representatives, highlighting the insufficiency of evidence to establish the presence of guns, bullets, and explosives within the accused’s premises.
Tondo 3 endured long and brutal imprisonment for a period of over four years on account of these baseless charges, while Nasino, whose 3-month old child, Baby River, tragically passed away from pneumonia.
Notably, as of June 23, 2023, Karapatan reported a total of 775 political prisoners in the Philippines who find themselves similarly incarcerated due to baseless allegations. This series of political persecutions against government critics is conveniently carried out through the state’s weaponization of law, such as the use of the Anti-Terrorism Act to red-tag and dismiss the calls of progressive groups and individuals.
The APCHRP (Asia Pacific Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines) urges the Philippine government to promptly investigate the cases of political detainees and cease the practice of filing fabricated cases against activists. We call on the Marcos Jr. administration to free all political prisoners and end the tyrannical use of law to silence dissent.
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