By Jon Lamb
MANILA — The campaign launch for the Free all Political Prisoners Movement (FPPM) was held at the University of the Philippines Diliman Campus on October 19.
The campaign hopes to win the release of some 309 political detainees. Most of these prisoners have been convicted on trumped-up common criminal charges, and many have been in prison since the regime of Ferdinand Marcos.
Supporting organisations and individuals of FPPM include Sanlakas (a mass federation of popular organisations), Makabayan (a mass socialist organisation), Kairos (a church organisation), CCJP (Concerned Citizens for Justice and Peace), TFDP (Task Force Detainees Philippines ) and progressive Congressmen Roilo Golez and Edcel Lagman. A representative from the office of Wigberto E. Tanada was also present.
"This is an effort to organise a multi-sectoral group, to embark with relentless conviction and effort, for the release of all identified and subsequently to be identified political prisoners", said Lagman, keynote speaker at the meeting. "The demand for the unconditional release of all political prisoners should not be anchored upon the outcome of the peace talks [between the Philippines government and the National Democratic Front]. The government responsibility for the continued detention of the political prisoners is directly to the Filipino people."
Nearly all the political prisoners were charged with offences such as murder, kidnapping, arson and possession of firearms. These were and still are non-bailable offences. Possession of firearms was a favourite of the military during martial law, as it made possible the indefinite detention of those suspected of being communist sympathisers or leftists. They were typically detained without warrant and "found" to be carrying weapons or ammunition.
Despite a 1987 Supreme Court ruling invalidating all courts- martial involving civilians, very few prisoners have been set free. President Ramos has declared that there are no new political prisoners under his government.
However, there have been arrests and convictions following the same pattern as those carried out under Marcos and Aquino. Many of the repressive laws enforced before Ramos came to power are still in existence, or only slightly modified.
The formation of FPPM was in part motivated by the arrest of Edcel Lagman's brother, Filemon Lagman in June this year. Filemon Lagman or "Ka Popoy", is the alleged leader of the breakaway Manila-Rizal Regional Committee (MRRC) of the Communist Party of the Philippines, and its armed wing, the Alex Boncayao Brigade. His arrest came at a time of heightened tension between the MRRC and the bloc headed by CPP founder, Jose Ma. Sison.