DEFIANCE Restrictions on mass gatherings fail to deter activists from crowding Mendiola Street near Malaca帽ang to commemorate International Human Rights Day on Thursday. 鈥擱ICHARD A. REYES
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� A female journalist and six union organizers were arrested on charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives in a series of police operations at dawn on Thursday that drew condemnation from militant groups as the nation marked International Human Rights Day.
Their associates had earlier expressed concern that they were 鈥渁bducted鈥� by policemen.
Police Lt. Col. Marissa Bruno, public information officer of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), confirmed the arrests of journalist Lady Ann Salem and labor organizers Dennise Velasco, Joel Demate, Rodrigo Esparago, Mark Ryan Cruz, Romina Raiselle Astudillo, and Jaymie Gregorio.
The police missions were 鈥渋n compliance with the directive of the Director [of] CIDG, (Police Maj. Gen. Joel Napoleon Coronel) of intensifying police operations against loose firearms and criminal gangs,鈥� Bruno said.
Concern, outrage
The seven suspects are to be charged with violation of the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Law (Republic Act No. 10591) and the Illegal Possession of Explosives Law (RA 9516).
Their arrests have prompted concern and outrage over the conduct of police operations on the heels of the arrest of other activists and labor leaders earlier.
On Dec. 2, peasant organizer Amanda Socorro Echanis was taken in Cagayan province and detained with her month-old child. Two days later, police collared labor leader Jose Bernardino, whom they claimed to be a ranking member of the communist New People鈥檚 Army, in Pampanga province.
Velasco, a trade union organizer for Defend Jobs Philippines, was arrested at his home in Barangay Lagro, Quezon City, on what his group said were 鈥渢rumped-up charges鈥� of illegal possession of firearms and explosives.
According to his partner, Diane Zapata, the policemen made them lie on the floor. She later posted 鈥淗elp!!!鈥� RAid at house now!!!鈥� on social media, updating with a two-minute video recording of CIDG agents conducting their search.
Remarks by Zapata in the video suggest that weapons had been planted at their home.
The CIDG said it found an MG7 fragmentation grenade, an M16 and magazine, a 9mm pistol, two magazines for 9mm rounds, 20 5.56mm bullets, a .45-caliber pistol, two magazines for .45-caliber bullets, 84 .45-caliber bullets, three .22-caliber pistols, two magazines for .22-caliber bullets, 144 .22-caliber bullets, and 鈥渟uspected subversive documents.鈥�
Zapata said the police took Velasco with them when they left.
鈥楽wab test鈥�
When she asked where they were taking him, 鈥淭hey told me they needed to bring [him] in for a swab test, and then they left me,鈥� she said in another video on Facebook.
鈥淚 drove along the entire stretch of Commonwealth (Avenue) looking at places where [they] could have possibly brought him,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know where he is right now, it鈥檚 Human Rights Day.鈥�
Later in the day, Defend Jobs was able to locate Velasco at Camp Karingal, where he is currently detained.
The group said his arrest 鈥渇ollows the reported surveillance of our head office in Quezon City on the night of Dec. 3.鈥�
鈥淲e cry foul over Velasco鈥檚 arrest being done in time [for] Human Rights Day,鈥� the group said. 鈥淲e slam the planting of 鈥� firearms and explosives [in] Velasco鈥檚 possession as evidence.鈥�
Salem and Esparago were arrested in their condominium in Mandaluyong City. Her arrest also raised suspicions from her media associates that she was kidnapped by authorities, while Esparago鈥檚 arrest, on the other hand, was not immediately reported. It was not clear from the initial police updates how the two were related.
Only later in the day did family and colleagues learn that Salem was in the CIDG鈥檚 custody.
The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines demanded her release as it expressed outrage at her arrest on International Human Rights Day.
The People鈥檚 Alternative Media Network (Altermidya) said her 鈥渁bduction 鈥� was another proof of the dangers of the administration鈥檚 vile practice of Red-tagging.鈥�
鈥楻别诲-迟补驳驳颈苍驳鈥�
At a recent Senate hearing on Red-tagging, the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict linked 鈥淢anila Today,鈥� the news site where Salem is editor, to the communist movement.
The CIDG said its agents recovered from Salem鈥檚 home four .45-caliber pistols, four grenades, four .45-caliber magazines, and 29 .45-caliber bullets.
Astudillo, Cruz, and Gregorio were arrested in a condominium in Quezon City. Police claimed to have recovered five grenades, three .45-caliber pistols, two .9mm pistols, one .38-caliber revolver, and several rounds of ammunition.
Demate was arrested at his home in Manila. Recovered from him were a .45-caliber pistol, an M16 and a magazine, a grenade, 29 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition, and seven rounds of .45-caliber ammunition.
Judge Villavert
The warrants for the arrest of Velasco, Salem, and the others were all issued by Executive Judge Cecilyn E. Burgos-Villavert of Regional Trial Court Branch 89 in Quezon City.
Last year, Villavert issued four warrants for police raids on the homes and offices of several activists, which led to the arrest of more than 60 of them.
Defend Jobs said Velasco鈥檚 arrest followed a similar pattern in the arrests of the other activists.
Bayan Muna Rep. Ferdinand Gaite said his group condemned this 鈥渕odus operandi of raiding activists鈥� homes, planting of evidence, and filing of trumped-up charges.鈥�
Human rights groups marched to Malaca帽ang on International Human Rights Day and warned that President Rodrigo Duterte may increase his attacks on activists.
Duterte 鈥渟eems to be gearing up for a more brutal assault on people鈥檚 rights and dissent with the passage of his terror law,鈥� said Karapatan secretary general Cristina Palabay, referring to the Anti-Terror Law of 2020 enacted in July and currently being challenged in the Supreme Court. 鈥擶ITH A REPORT FROM NESTOR CORRALES