Eastern
Visayas police director PCSupt. Elmer R. Soria said the sting
operations forms part of the strengthened campaign to address the
threat posed by drug abuse and trafficking in the region.
“While the
illegal drug situation in Eastern Visayas is not alarming, we must
continue the crackdown against illegal drug personalities as the
success of our campaign would greatly reduce the crime volume in the
region,” he added.
Soria
cited the findings at a forum sponsored by the Justice Sector
Coordinating Council led by the Supreme Court in 2011 wherein it was
revealed that 60% of criminal cases filed in court are drug-related.
“Our anti-illegal drugs
drive aims at saving the youth from the evils of drug abuse and
minimize its negative impact to society,” the police official averred.
In Maasin City, a buybust at
past 10:00 a.m. Saturday by RSOG led by PSInsp. Dinvir Revita led to
the arrest of 37-year old Reynaldo Seiga at Brgy. Asuncion.
Police seized from the
suspect one large heat-sealed transparent plastic sachet containing
suspected “shabu”, two pieces P500-bill buybust money and one unit
.9mm caliber pistol marked PT 111 Pro with serial number TCS89630 and
two magazines with 13 ammunitions.
Meantime, Jerry Godez, 51
and Sandy Diolola, 32 were nabbed in a buybust operation and
implementation of search warrant by the Regional Special Operations
Group (RSOG) led by PInsp. Constantino Jabonete, Jr. just infront of
Dolores National High School and Dolores Elementary School in Brgy.
11, Dolores town in Eastern Samar.
Police recovered a total of
17 sachet of suspected “shabu” worth P12,000.00 and several drug
paraphernalia including the P500-bill buy-bust money.
In St. Bernard, Southern
Leyte, 48-year old beautician Gideon Baricuatro was nabbed by RSOG
team under PSInsp. Dinvir Revita at Brgy. Himatagon after selling P500
worth of “shabu” to a poseur-buyer.
At Osmeña St. in Brgy. Sto.
Niño, Isabel, Leyte, one Edsel Consing, 37 and his live-in partner
Orbineda Ceno, 33 were arrested in a buybust operation by a police
team led by PSInsp. Florando Relente that resulted in the confiscation
of 11 sachet of suspected “shabu”, the P500-bill buybust money,
P8,900.00 in cash believed to be proceeds of their illegal activity,
several US dollar bills and several drug paraphernalia.
Drug sting operations in
Brgy. Matapay, Hilongos also in Leyte by a police team led by PSInsp.
Reynaldo Rosarion also resulted in the arrest of Romeo Abapo, 49 and
the seizure of nine sticks of dried marijuana leaves.
In Tacloban City, one Mark
Morris, 19, was apprehended by SPO3 Raul Delima when he saw the
suspect with a protruding handle of a bladed weapon tucked on his
right waist than turned out to be a 7-inch bladed weapon locally known
as “pisao”.
Body search to the suspect
resulted to the discovery of 7 stalks of suspected dried marijuana
leaves wrapped in a newspaper and concealed in the suspect’s armpit.
Confiscated drugs were
brought to the Regional Crime Laboratory Office 8 for chemical
analysis while suspects were detained at different police station
lock-up cells while awaiting trial on the drug and other criminal
charges that the police will file against them.
Soria added that his office
will be relentless in the anti-illegal drug drive as more focused
police operations will be conducted by his men.
Troops encounter
NPA in Lapinig, Northern Samar; recover one firearm
By DPAO, 8ID PA
September 20, 2013
CAMP LUKBAN, Catbalogan City
– A certain Salvador Capoquian, alias Jomong, a New People’s Army (NPA)
member operating in Northern Samar was killed in an encounter with the
Scout Platoon of 34th Infantry Battalion (34IB) at Barangay Pio Del
Pilar, Lapinig, Northern Samar on September 19, 2013.
Prior to the incident, 34IB
received information from civilians about the NPA presence in their
barangay extorting from the populace.
The Scout Platoon of 34IB
was immediately dispatched to verify the report and as they were
patrolling near Barangay Lapinig, they were fired upon by about five
(5) NPAs which triggered a five (5) minute firefight. Government
troops recovered one Caliber .45 Pistol with one empty magazine, one
(1) mobile phone and pouch containing money amounting to P500.00.
Per police record in Lapinig,
Northern Samar, the slain NPA member had a standing warrant of arrest
issued on August 29, 2013 by Hon Mory A. Nueva, Presiding Judge of RTC
Branch 28, Gamay, Northern Samar for the crime of illegal possession
of firearms and for violation of RA 7166 or COMELEC Gun Ban.
Brigadier General Jet B.
Velarmino AFP, Commander of 8th Infantry Division, in his message
said, “I commend 34IB for their timely response on the information
regarding the presence of NPAs in Barangay Pio Del Pilar, Lapinig,
Northern Samar. I assure the people of Samar that the 8th Infantry
Division will continue to do its mandate of securing the people of
Eastern Visayas from any form of threat and terrorism by the NPA
insurgents so that the people in this region can live peacefully and
free from fear and intimidation.”
The
economic sector led by Gov. Roger G. Mercado in one of the
workshops while PD Johnny Badocdoc looks on. |
Provincial
officials formulate executive-legislative agenda
By LOREN ABRAU-ANICIETE
September 20, 2013
MAASIN CITY – A total
of 46 elected provincial officials, department heads and members of
the Provincial Development Council participated in the
Seminar-Workshop on the Formulation of Executive-Legislative Agenda (ELA)
and Capacity Development (CapDev) Agenda held at Cebu Grand Hotel,
Cebu City on September 11-13, 2013.
The three-day activity was
conducted by the Provincial Government of Southern Leyte in view of
its mandated roles enshrined in the Local Government Code and in
compliance with DILG Memo Circular No. 2013-64. Providing technical
assistance were DILG officers composed of Provincial Director Juan M.
Badocdoc, LGOO V Vicente Maraon, LGOO V Geraldine Maquelabit, and LGOO
V Maria Cristina Tiu.
According to Provincial
Director Johnny Badocdoc, the term-based ELA is the roadmap for the
attainment of the province's development priorities within the next
three years.
Under the leadership of the
hands-on Governor, Roger G. Mercado, the participants were able to
identify and prioritize complex issues confronting the province and
managed to come up with development priorities to be budgeted and
implemented. The ELA and CapDev Agenda documents will be submitted to
the DILG.
The activity was likewise
attended by LMP President Roberto A. Loquinte and representatives of
civil society organizations (CSOs) who also are PDC Members.
Karapatan to Atty.
Alex Padilla: Don’t stand in the way of peace
By KARAPATAN
September 20, 2013
QUEZON CITY – “We all grew
up with an old saying that goes: if there’s a will, there’s a way. The
old and tested adage, in case Atty. Alex Padilla missed this, can very
well aid him in his role as GPH peace panel head,” said Marie Hilao-Enriquez,
chairperson of Karapatan and an independent observer to the GPH-NDFP
peace negotiation.
Hilao-Enriquez added,
“there’s no use in banging his head on the wall, doing what he called
as ‘internal review process to recommend for the possible release of
alleged National Democratic Front (NDF) consultants according to
Philippine laws.’ He only had to fulfill his panel’s commitment during
the February 2011 round of talks to release all, if not most’ NDFP
peace consultants.”
The GPH, Karapatan said,
continues to ignore not only the commitment to release NDFP peace
consultants but also disregards previously signed agreements such as
the Hague Declaration, the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity
Guarantees (JASIG). “It has gone as far as unilaterally declaring the
termination of the peace talks with the NDFP.”
“The GPH must show some
goodwill in this journey to peace. The release of the JASIG-protected
NDFP peace consultants has been a subject since the start of the
negotiations under the Aquino government. Now, Atty. Padilla
conspicuously added the word “alleged” to refer to the NDFP
consultants as if there were no previous discussions and exchanges on
this between the two panels,” Hilao-Enriquez said.
There are now 13 NDFP
consultants in various jails in the country. The longest-held detainee
among the peace consultants is Eduardo Serrano who was abducted and
illegally arrested in May 2004.
On July 28, 2013, Ma. Loida
Magpatoc, consultant to the Social and Economic Reform agenda, was
arrested by joint elements of the Davao del Sur Police Provincial
Office and the 1002nd Infantry Brigade, Philippine Army.
“Instead of removing
hindrances, the GPH never runs out of alibis that block all roads to
peace,” Hilao-Enriquez said.
RSOG nabs two women
“swertres” collectors in Samar
By RPCRD, Police Regional
Office 8
September 19, 2013
CAMP SEC. KANGLEON,
Palo, Leyte – Two women allegedly engaged in the collection of
“swertes” bet were nabbed by the Regional Special Operations Group (RSOG)
of the Police Regional Office 8 (PRO8) in anti-illegal gambling
operations in Catbalogan City on Tuesday.
Arrested
were of Nena Asano, 51, married of Purok 2, Brgy. Guindapunan; and
Mylene Ebias, 24, single, of Purok 6, Brgy. 3 Poblacion, both in
Catbalogan City, Samar’s capital.
PCSupt.
Elmer R. Soria said the RSOG under PInsp. Constantino Jabonete, Jr.,
arrested Asano at past 5:00 p.m. Tuesday at the vicinity of Brgy.
Guindapunan while collecting bet for “swertres”, an illegal numbers
game.
The lawmen
confiscated from the suspect one tally sheet containing different
number combinations for the 9:00 p.m. September 17, 2013 draw; cash
bet amounting to P131.00; Nokia mobile phone and one black HBW ballpen.
At past 7:00 p.m., same
police team proceeded to Brgy. 3 and conducted anti-gambling
operations resulting in the arrest of Ebias while collecting “swetres’
bet and the confiscation of three bundle of stubs containing different
number combinations dated September 17, 2013, scheduled for 9:00 p.m.
draw; cash bet amounting to P295.00; one Cherry Mobile phone and a
black ballpen.
The police official further
informed that arrested suspects were detained at the Catbalogan City
Police Station while cases for violation Presidential Decree 1602 as
amended by Republic Act 9287 (Illegal Numbers Game) were filed in
court against them.
Soria believes that the
possession of illegal gambling paraphernalia is enough prima facie
evidence against the suspects.
“If the court finds them
guilty, they may spend from 8 up to 10 years in prison,” the police
official informed.
A collector or agent is any
person who collects, solicits or produces bets in behalf of his/her
principal for any illegal numbers game who is usually in possession of
gambling paraphernalia.
As this developed, Soria
instructed police chiefs to intensify the conduct of anti-illegal
gambling operations in their respective areas.
“All unit commanders were
reminded that our one-strike policy is still in effect and they may be
relieved and face administrative sanctions if they fail to perform,”
he added.
In August, police units in
the region have conducted 21 anti-illegal gambling operations
resulting in the arrest of 22 persons, confiscation of P10,184.50 cash
bet and several gambling materials and the filing of 17 criminal cases
in various courts.
2 drug suspects
fall in Leyte, Samar
By RPCRD, Police Regional
Office 8
September 19, 2013
CAMP SEC. KANGLEON, Palo,
Leyte – Two drug suspects were arrested in separate drug sting
operations by the Regional Special Operations Group (RSOG8) and
Catbalogan City Police Station Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday
morning, reports reaching the Police Regional Office 8 (PRO8)
disclosed.
The suspects were identified
by PCSupt. Elmer R. Soria, PRO8 director, as one Lorden Mangaron, 34,
married, jobless and resident of Brgy. 3, Sta. Fe, Matalom town in
Leyte; and one Randy Curiano, a former intelligence operative of the
34th Infantry Battalion, 8th Infantry Division, Philippine Army and a
resident of Brgy. Canlapwas in Catbalogan City.
Mangaron was nabbed after
handing P500 worth of suspected “shabu” to an undercover cop who acted
as poseur-buyer at around 4:15 p.m. Tuesday just outside his house,
Soria said.
“A small heat-sealed sachet
containing around 0.3 grams of suspected shabu granules was recovered
during the buybust,” he added.
The RSOG, led by PSInsp,
Dinvir Revita, immediately brought the suspect to Matalom police
station as a case for violation of the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 was
filed against Mangaron.
Recovered suspected illegal
drugs were brought to the Southern Leyte Provincial Crime Laboratory
Office in Maasin City for qualitative and quantitative examination and
determination of the presence of methamphetamine contents.
Matalom is a coastal town
some 150 kilometers, 2-hour ride from Tacloban City, Eastern Visayas
regional capital. It popular among local and foreign tourists for the
pristine white sand island of Canigao, also known for its scenic coral
reefs ideal for diving.
Meanwhile, a police team led
by PCInsp. Marben Ordonia conducted buybust operation at around 5:30
a.m. Wednesday in Brgy. Canlapwas leading to Curiano’s arrest and the
confiscation of one small heat-sealed sachet of suspected “shabu” and
the P500 buy-bust money.
Subsequent implementation of
search warrant in the suspects house led to the confiscation of 7 more
sachet of suspected “shabu” worth P7,700.00 and several drug
paraphernalia that include lighters, tooters, scissors, plastic
sachets, digital weighing scale and mobile phones.
A hand grenade, one magazine
of .45 caliber with 7 ammunitions and several ammunitions for calibers
7.62mm, .38, 45 and .22 were also recovered by the police.
Suspect is currently
detained at Catbalogan police station lock-up cell while proper
charges are being prepared for filing in court against him.
Confiscated illegal drugs
were brought to the Regional Crime Laboratory Office 8 for chemical
analysis, the police official added.
Soria further informed that
for the month of August alone, anti-illegal drug operations in the
region by the Regional Special Operations Group 8 (RSOG8) and
different Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Groups (AID-SOTG)
resulted in the arrest of 46 drug personalities in 43 operations
resulting in the seizure of P120,000.00 worth of illegal drugs and
filing of 42 drug charges in different courts in Eastern Visayas.
P2.68 trillion General Appropriations Act
Labor group
deplores measly budget allocation for programs for poor workers in
Visayas and Mindanao
By TUCP
September 19, 2013
QUEZON CITY – The
Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) decried the paltry
budget allocated to government’s unemployment and anti-poverty
programs for poor workers in the poorest regions in the Visayas and
Mindanao.
In a side briefing conducted
by former National Treasurer and convenor of Social Watch Philippines
Leonor Magtolis-Briones of the 2014 P2.68 trillion General
Appropriations Act for the Trade Union Congress Party party-list, the
regional allocation of the proposed 2014 budget showed only 18% or
P224.7 billion for the Visayas and 24% or P501.1 billion for Mindanao
– areas where high poverty incidence and growing unemployment and
underemployment thrives.
Luzon, meanwhile, has 58% or
P726 billion share of the proposed budget.
“The current priority
structure of the budget is not in sync with the needs of the poorest
of the poor. It neither promotes employment nor minimizes poverty in
regions where poverty and lack of employment opportunities are
chronic. Stakeholders have already identified these in the past but
how come it’s not being addressed in the allocation of the national
budget?,” said Gerard Seno, executive vice president of Associated
Labor unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP).
Seno said bigger budget
should be allocated to these poor provinces towards the improvement of
workers’ skills, greater diversification of production and processing
of by-products in agriculture. He noted, as examples, the National
High-Value Crops Program (NHVCP) of the Department of Agriculture (DA)
and the training, livelihood and enterprise development of the
Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
The NHVCP includes extension
of support, education and training services to farmers, irrigation
network services and provision of agricultural equipment and
facilities support services. The NHVCP in Mindanao regions, he said,
only have P337.1 million while NCR and other areas in Luzon have a
total of P1.4 billion.
On one hand, the DOLE’s
budget for its employment facilitation and capacity building and
support services for employment generation for the vulnerable sector
to help workers graduate into more productive and secure a formal
employment or livelihood has P491.1 million for Mindanao and P445.2
million for NCR and the rest of provinces in Luzon.
The 2012 Poverty Statistics
of the National Statistical Coordination Board showed 11 of the 16
poorest areas are located in Mindanao. These are Cotabato City, North
Cotabato, Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, Sultan Kudarat,
Basilan, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga Sibugay, Bukidnon and Davao
Oriental. Majority of workers in these regions are agricultural
laborers and unskilled workers – the lowest paying occupational group
with a mandated wage of P232 to P252 a day.
Poor provinces in the
Visayas region include Negros Oriental, Southern Leyte, Eastern,
Northern and Western Samar. Agricultural workers in these regions are
mandated to receive P245 to P362 per day compared to P419 in the
National Capital Region.
The budget alloted for the
Visayas regions for the same DA and DOLE programs are P748.8 million
and P445.2 million, respectively.
Seno, however, stressed that
TUCP supports the proposal of Social Watch Philippines for the DA to
implement the NHVCP in targeting the revival of the banana industry
which employs 240,000 workers in Mindanao and supplies 80% the
country’s export to Europe, U.S, Japan, China and Canada, Seno said.
Murder suspect,
gun-carrying bizman nabbed by RSOG in Samar
By RPCRD, Police Regional
Office 8
September 18, 2013
CAMP SEC. KANGLEON, Palo,
Leyte – A farmer wanted for alleged killing of his neighbor two years
ago and a gun-carrying man engaged in buy-and-sell business were
nabbed by the Regional Special Operations Group (RSOG) of the Police
Regional Office 8 (PRO8) in separate focused-police operations
conducted on Monday morning and Sunday evening in Samar province.
PRO8 director PCSupt. Elmer
R. Soria identified the murder suspect as Oscar Gabison, 38 while
Virgelio Beriño, 29 was nabbed for carrying a firearm without
appropriate permit-to-carry issued by authorities.
Soria informed that the RSOG,
led by PInsp. Constantino Jabonete, Jr., arrested Gabison at 12:00
noon Monday at the vicinity of Brgy. 7 in Catbalogan City.
Gabison is the primary
suspect in the brutal killing of his neighbor Delia Caniedo and the
serious wounding of one Myrna Tan in Brgy. Guindapunan, Daram town in
the afternoon of October 17, 2011.
The incident esteemed from a
case for qualified theft filed by the victims against the suspect
before the Regional Trial Court branch 28 in Catbalogan City.
Judge Manuel Torrevillas,
Jr. of RTC branch 27 in Catbalogan City issued arrest warrants for
murder and frustrated murder against the suspect on September 3, 2012.
No bail was recommended for
murder case number 8297 while P120,000 was the fixed bail for the
frustrated murder charges under criminal case number 8296.
Gabison was brought to the
court of origin and was later remanded to Samar Provincial Jail also
in Catbalogan City.
The night before, the same
police team nabbed Beriño at the village wharf in Brgy. Dumaluong,
Gandara town some 40 kilometers north from Catbalogan City, Samar’s
capital.
The suspect, who is engaged
in buying and selling piglets, was arrested for carrying an unlicensed
.45 caliber Colt MK IV series 80 pistol with serial number 863251
loaded with a magazine with four ammunitions at 10:00 p.m. Sunday.
The native of Brgy. Jacopon,
Daram, Samar failed to present any document proving his authority to
possess the confiscated firearm.
A case for violation of
Republic Act 8294 or the Illegal Possession of Firearms and Ammunition
law was already filed in court against the suspect, Soria informed.
Soria further disclosed that
as the barangay elections draws nearer, the police will intensify the
conduct of manhunt operations against wanted criminals and the
campaign against loose firearms as part of the effort to pre-empt any
election-related violent incidents in the region.
No respite for
civilians in Zamboanga
By ICRC
September 18, 2013
MANILA – Increasing
numbers of people are fleeing their homes amid ongoing clashes in
Zamboanga City, on Mindanao Island, generating more humanitarian
needs. Together with the Philippine Red Cross, the International
Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is stepping up its response.
“A significant number of
civilians have been injured or killed, while an unknown but
substantial number of houses have been burnt. This is of clear concern
for us and will make it all the harder for normal life to resume,”
said Pascal Mauchle, the head of the ICRC’s delegation in the
Philippines. “We have reiterated, in our dialogue with both sides
involved in the fighting, the obligation to take the necessary
precautions to spare civilians and their property.”
Clashes between the Armed
Forces of the Philippines and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF)
in Zamboanga have displaced at least 80,000 people according to
government statistics, about half of whom have sought temporary
shelter in the city’s open-air sports stadium having left their
belongings behind them when they fled. Of the 166 people wounded since
the clashes began, 67 are civilians according to official figures.
ICRC and Philippine Red
Cross personnel are working to ensure the people sheltering in the
city stadium have access to drinking water, food, medical attention
and other vital aid. Household essentials, such as tarpaulins for
protection against the elements, kitchen utensils, jerrycans and
personal hygiene products were distributed last night. Moreover, hot
meals are being prepared every day for people in the stadium.
“Throughout this emergency, Philippine Red Cross volunteers and staff
have shown extraordinary levels of motivation and dedication to the
people we are helping, even in the face of danger,” added Mr Mauchle.
In addition, ICRC delegates
have visited 49 people detained by the authorities in Zamboanga to
monitor their treatment and conditions. “This is a very positive
development, which reflects our longstanding role in the Philippines
working with the detaining authorities to help ensure conditions are
in keeping with international standards,” said Mr Mauchle. Delegates
also registered detainees in order to follow up on their situation
during future visits.
“We hope a positive
settlement will soon be found to the situation in Zamboanga, to enable
civilians to safely return to their homes and start rebuilding their
lives. We stand ready to act as a neutral intermediary to resolve
matters of humanitarian concern, if requested to do so. In the
meantime, the ICRC remains committed to providing essential aid to
people in need,” said Mr Mauchle.
Rights groups call
on Aquino gov’t to honor previously signed agreements & resume peace
talks with the NDFP
By KARAPATAN
September 18, 2013
QUEZON CITY – Peace
is dead.
In a picket at the Office of
the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP), rights groups
and family members of the peace consultants of the National Democratic
Front of the Philippines (NDFP) depicted the situation with a replica
of white doves locked in 13 plastic jars. The 13 doves, the protesters
said, also symbolize the jailed 13 NDFP peace consultants.
“Amid the military siege in
Zamboanga City; the series of killings, bombings of communities,
illegal arrest and detention of innocent civilians, the Aquino
government is on a rampage. Whether the government is still interested
in pursuing the road to peace remains to be seen. For our part, as
human rights advocates, we will never tire in calling for the
resumption of the peace negotiations between the GPH and the NDFP.
This is one of the options we have to undertake to resolve the root
causes of un-peace in the country,” said Karapatan chairperson Marie
Hilao-Enriquez.
In June of this year, the
Aquino government, through its peace panel head Atty. Alex Padilla,
unilaterally ended the peace talks with the NDFP.
“The insincerity of the
Aquino government in the peace negotiations has long been bared when
it continues to disregard previously signed agreements such as the
Hague Declaration that serves as the framework of the peace
negotiations between the two parties; and its non-compliance with the
Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG),” added
Hilao-Enriquez.
“The GPH not only refused to
release the 12 NDFP peace consultants but, instead arrested Ma. Loida
Magpatoc, a JASIG-protected person, on July 28, 2013. The Aquino
regime refused to acknowledge the documents and agreements signed by
the previous representatives of the GPH in the peace talks,” Hilao-Enriquez
said.
With Magpatoc’s arrest,
there are now 13 NDFP peace consultants who are detained in various
jails all over the country because of trumped up criminal charges.
Common crime charges slapped against these NDFP consultants and
personnel as well as other political prisoners effectively hide the
political nature of the cases and the government continues to fool the
public declaring no political prisoners are being kept by the present
dispensation; hence it cannot be accused of political persecution
against political dissent. There are also 10 NDFP consultants and
staff who were victims of enforced disappearance and who remain
missing to date.
Hilao-Enriquez said, “worse,
instead of honoring the agreements the GPH signed with the NDFP, the
government resorts to an order of battle (OB) list of so-called
‘wanted communists’ and a reward system for so-called informers who
can lead to their capture amounting to P466 million of people’s money.
This is the latest ‘one-time, big-time’ organized racket of the DILG
and the DND. As if the pork barrel scam is not enough scam,” said
Hilao-Enriquez.
The protesters ended their
program with a call to release the 13 peace consultants, surface the
10 disappeared, and release all political prisoners.
Break free from pork
On September 19, political
prisoners, including the 13 NDFP consultants, will add their voices to
the call to abolish the pork barrel system, punish the guilty in the
pork barrel scam, and rechannel the pork funds for the benefit of the
people.
Dubbed, “Break free from
pork”, the political prisoners will hold various forms of protest
actions inside their jails. Rights groups and peace advocates will
hold a counterpart activity at Plaza Miranda in Quiapo starting at 10
a.m. Both activities also aim to underscore the plight of the 449
political detainees in the country, and to highlight the call for
their release, especially the women, the sick and the elderly among
them.
