PNOY SHOULD END HIS TIRED REFRAIN AND RELEASE THE MORONG 43 -- Karapatan

On the 10th month of detention of the Morong 43, the human rights alliance Karapatan called on President Noynoy Aquino to end his tired refrain of “leave it to the courts”.

“It’s the state authorities who issued a faulty warrant, performed an unlawful search, made a preposterous claim of bomb-making, planted pieces of evidence, inflicted torture, denied counsel for and illegally detained the health workers. The government human rights commission, the Justice Department, and other civilian and civil society groups have all reviewed the case, and are one in declaring the travesty of the courts and gross violation of their rights,” Karapatan acting secretary general Jigs Clamor said.

“The National Democratic Front of the Philippines and some senators have been more compassionate to the plight of the Morong 43 asking for their release. PNoy just looks dumb with his repetitive, incoherent, empty, baseless, and contradictory statements,” Karapatan said.

"President Aquino said that he is all for upholding the rights of the people and yet he does not act to do so. He should stop washing his hands off the case of the Morong 43, other political prisoners and all human rights violations victims and take decisive action." Enriquez added.

Thirty-six of the Morong 43 detainees at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig went on hunger strike since Friday.

Karapatan also scored the Armed Forces of the Philippines for “it’s twisted logic” after Army spokesperson Col. Antonio Parlade Jr. said that the NDFP’s call for the Morong 43’s release is an “affirmation that they are NPA”.

“That doesn’t justify the legal, civil, political and moral wrongdoings of the military especially against the Morong 43 and other unarmed civilians. The NDFP has been known to take up cases of human rights violations since its inception during martial law, and together with the Philippine government, signed an agreement to respect human rights and international humanitarial law. The AFP can only show its rabid pro-US war-mongering, ” Karapatan said.

“Pnoy should release the Morong 43 and all political prisoners. That is not a precondition for peace talks but is a positive step towards achieving peace based on justice,” said Karapatan. ###

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