ILOILO City – Panay Alliance Karapatan and Kapatid Panay, along with other human rights advocates, have called for the immediate release of arrested ailing activist Tomas Dominado, 74.
Apprehended on December 5 in Barangay Sooc, Arevalo district here, Dominado faces charges of murder and rebellion stemming from warrants issued over a decade ago.
Some of his co-accused named in the two warrants had been acquitted of the charges already, according to rights groups.
Dominado is the husband of activist Ma. Luisa Posa-Dominado who was forcibly abducted by armed men in Oton, Iloilo in 2007 and whose whereabouts remain unknown up to this day.
A stroke survivor from a year ago, Dominado is bedridden and relies on an aide to move him around in a wheelchair.
With a history of hypertension, heart enlargement, neurological deficits, and other severe medical issues, his continued detention endangers his life, according to rights groups.
Medical intervention that cannot be adequately provided to him in detention facilities, they stressed.
Dominado’s aide was also arrested and charged with violation of Republic Act 10591 (illegal possession of firearms and ammunition) and provisions under Republic Act 11479 (Anti-Terrorism Act) for allegedly providing material support to a terrorist organization, harboring a principal, and obstruction of justice.
“We firmly assert that the charges against them are baseless, fabricated, and politically motivated, exemplifying the systematic misuse of judicial processes to silence activists,” according to Panay Alliance Karapatan and Kapatid Panay in a statement.
They added: “Dominado’s case underscores the dangerous trend of criminalizing dissent and labeling activism as a crime. In light of this, we call for the immediate dropping of all charges and their unconditional release, as their detention is unjust and inhumane.”
Rights groups also demanded “an end to the pervasive practice of red-tagging, terrorist labeling, and criminalizing legitimate advocacy…to protect the democratic rights of all citizens.
Furthermore, they called for the release of all political prisoners “who have been unjustly detained for their beliefs and activism, ensuring that justice prevails and human rights are upheld.”/PN
