A habeas corpus petition has been filed for the release of Amelia Pond, whom CIDG 7 operatives claim is Adelfa Toledo, an NPA member with an arrest warrant for the deaths of barangay officials in Compostela Valley in 2000. (Sun.Star Photo/Amper Campaña)
A LAY worker will remain in jail until a judge hears the police’s reason why they arrested and detained her last Aug.19.
Regional Trial Court Branch 17 Judge Marivic Trabajo-Daray ruled not to issue any order yesterday until officials of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) 7 offer their evidence to the habeas corpus petition.
Daray wants to hear their arguments, particularly their basis for arresting Amelia “Amy” Pond.
They should convince the judge that Pond and Adelfa Toledo are the “same and one person.”
The presentation of evidence is set on Aug.30.
The judge also ordered the Office of the Solicitor General to represent the policemen during the hearing.
Daray yesterday heard the habeas corpus petition filed by Sr. Mary Francis Añover, past national coordinator of the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines (RMP), which seeks Pond’s release.
Last Aug. 19, CIDG 7 operatives arrested Pond on the basis of a warrant for frustrated and double murder in Compostela Valley in 2000.
Pond was attending the RMP’s national assembly at the Living the Gospel Renewal Center on Archbishop Reyes Ave. in Cebu City.
Other respondents
She is the regional coordinator of the RMP in southern Mindanao.
Authorities insisted that Pond is Toledo, whose group is allegedly behind the deaths of Barangay Councilors Florencio Guay and Roberto Kapangpangan of Ngan, Compostela Valley on Aug. 7, 2000.
Police said Toledo is a member of the executive committee of the New People’s Army (NPA) based in southern Mindanao.
Police said Toledo, alias Tasing, supervises the operation of the Salugpungan Ta’tano Igkanogon Community Learning Centers that are associated with the Communist Party of the Philippines, the NPA and the National Democratic Front.
But the woman they arrested insists that she’s Pond, not Toledo.
Also named respondent in the petition are CIDG 7 Chief Marlon Tayaba and Maj. Gen. Raul del Rosario, commander of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Central Command.
Lawyer Inocencio dela Cerna, who represents the respondents, said Pond and Toledo are one and the same.
Police have implemented tight security measures to ensure the lay worker’s safety.
Health worries
But Magdalena Lepiten, Pond’s lawyer, said the warrant shows that police were looking for Toledo, and not Pond.
Lepiten said they are concerned about Pond’s condition inside the CIDG holding cell since the latter has scoliosis.
Pond’s fellow missionaries claimed that they saw police plant an ID inside her bag to make it appear that she is really Toledo.
Rev. Fr. Nazario Vocales, vicar of the Cebu Archdiocesan Commission on Social Advocacies, condemned the “unjust arrest” of Pond.
“Pond is a key worker of the RMP. She is living example of a Christian committed to serve the least and the neglected of our society, the Lumads,” said Vocales in a statement.
Pond supported the struggle of the natives to preserve their ancestral domains against local and foreign “plunderers,” said Vocales.
“This act of injustice is an unchristian work, which only aims to harass selfless Christians committed to the plight of the poor,” said Vocales.
The priest said the Cebu archdiocesan is demanding Pond’s immediate release and the dismissal of all “trumped-up charges” against her.
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/local-news/2016/08/23/release-lay-worker-court-asked-493319
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.