Political prisoners hail ‪#‎ManiLakbayan2015‬

We, political prisoners, hail the marchers, and other participants and supporters — along the way, and even in other far away places — of the October 2015 Manilakbayan.

This mass protest activity has travelled all the way from the farthest part of Mindanao in the south to the national capital, to decry and bring to the attention of the people all over the country the extremely cruel fascism that has been victimizing the indigenous Lumad and other exploited and oppressed people in the country.

It is a relentless fascism that has been going on and victimizing the mass of the people in the country under democratic pretenses.

The indigenous Lumad, have been suffering merciless killings, especially of their leaders and even of their educators, as in the merciless killing of the Alternative Learning Center for Agricultural and Livelihood Development (ALCADEV) Executive Director Emerito Samarca.

Fascist military and paramilitary atrocities have followed the Lumad and their supporters even to the relief centers run by church organizations, that have been providing them with sanctuary and humanitarian aid.
Like the oppressed Lumad, we, political prisoners, have also long been subjected to fascist treatment. Despite the denials of the ruling regime, there are now more than 700 political prisoners at present, practically all victims of illegal arrest and detention, torture, criminalization of political cases, trumped-up cases that include planting of false evidences and use of paid witnesses, and other fascist acts of violence and restrictions in prison.

We appreciate very much that the October 2015 Manilakbayan is also taking up the issue of fascist political detention and demanding freedom, justice and respect of human rights for all political prisoners. We appreciate a lot Manilakbayan’s including us in the route of their march, and staging rallies at the gates of camps where we are imprisoned.

Despite the indifferent attitude of the ruling regime to calls and movements for freedom, justice and respect of human rights, that the Manilakbayan is marching for and demanding from the ruling regime and system, we hope that all their efforts and all similar efforts will bear fruit for the benefit of the mass of our exploited and oppressed people.

Political prisoners in Camp Bagong Diwa
Adelberto Silva
Alan Jazmines
Alberto Macasinag
Alex Arias
Alex Birondo
Antonio Satumba
Aristides Sarmiento
Cesar Balmaceda
Dennis Ortiz
Diony Borre
Eddie Cruz
Eduardo Serrano
Edward Lanzanas
Eliseo Lopez
Elmer Torres
Ernesto Lorenzo
Evelyn Legaspi
Felicardo Salamat
Fidel Holanda
Gemma Carag
Gloria Pitargue-Almonte
Hermogenes Reyes Jr.
Isidro de Lima
Jared Morales
Jesus Abetria Jr.
Joseph Cuevas
Ma. Miradel Torres
Ma. Loida Magpatoc
Marissa Espedido
Miguela Piñero
Modesto Araza
Pastora Latagan
Pedro Calimita
Philip Enteria
Presentacion Estrada-Saluta
Ruben Rupido
Ruben Saluta
Rene Nuyda Jr.
Rhea Pareja
Sharon Cabusao
Tirso Alcantara
Voltaire Guray
Winona Oñate-Birondo