(UPDATED) Various media and school organizations call for their immediate release, saying the arrests are meant to silence media and human rights defenders
ARRESTED. Eastern Vista executive director Frenchiemae Cumpio were among the 5 persons arrested by the police and military on February 7, 2020. Photo from Altermidya Network's Facebook page
(UPDATED) – Altermidya Network correspondent Frenchiemae Cumpio as well as 4 other human rights leaders in Tacloban were arrested early Friday, February 7, in a joint raid of the military and police, who accused them of illegal possession of firearms, reports said.
The authorities raided the two offices shared by various left-leaning groups, leading to the arrest of Cumpio, who is also Eastern Vista correspondent, and the following:
The authorities raided the two offices shared by various left-leaning groups, leading to the arrest of Cumpio, who is also Eastern Vista correspondent, and the following:
Marielle Domequil
Alexander Philip Abinguna, Karapatan national council member for Eastern Visayas
Mira Legion, Bayan
Marissa Cabaljao, People’s Surge Network spokesperson
Cabaljao was arrested together with her one-year-old baby, who was sleeping beside her when the police and military forcibly entered their office, Karapatan said in a statement.
Both mother and baby, and the 4 activists are detained at the municipal office of the Philippine National Police in Palo.
A military report said they supposedly raided “identified Communist Terrorist Group safe houses” in Tacloban and arrested the 5 personalities for allegedly bearing firearms.
But Karapatan said the guns and improvised explosive devices recovered by the authorities were “planted in the rooms.”
(READ: No letup in human rights abuses under Duterte – Human Rights Watch)
“Today's arrests and raids should enrage should who stand for civil liberties and human rights, social justice and lasting peace in the country. We are calling on all advocates and communities to defend the rights of defenders against these attacks by the Duterte administration,” said Karapatan, a human rights group.
Days before the simultaneous arrests, Cumpio had also informed Altermidya that she was being tailed by men riding motorcycles, whom she believes were military assets. Unidentified men were also patrolling Eastern Vista’s office in Tacloban.
On January 31, an unidentified person also visited Eastern Vista’s office and was reportedly carrying a photo of Cumpio and a band of flowers.
Call for release
“We condemn the Leyte police and state forces for this latest attack on Eastern Vista, our fellow community journalist Cumpio, and against people’s groups in Leyte. We demand their immediate and safe release, and call on the public to denounce this latest attempt to silence and intimidate independent media and human rights defenders,” said Altermidya.
“Today's arrests and raids should enrage should who stand for civil liberties and human rights, social justice and lasting peace in the country. We are calling on all advocates and communities to defend the rights of defenders against these attacks by the Duterte administration,” said Karapatan, a human rights group.
Days before the simultaneous arrests, Cumpio had also informed Altermidya that she was being tailed by men riding motorcycles, whom she believes were military assets. Unidentified men were also patrolling Eastern Vista’s office in Tacloban.
On January 31, an unidentified person also visited Eastern Vista’s office and was reportedly carrying a photo of Cumpio and a band of flowers.
Call for release
“We condemn the Leyte police and state forces for this latest attack on Eastern Vista, our fellow community journalist Cumpio, and against people’s groups in Leyte. We demand their immediate and safe release, and call on the public to denounce this latest attempt to silence and intimidate independent media and human rights defenders,” said Altermidya.
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