Human rights group Task Force Detainees of the Philippines on Friday criticized President Benigno Aquino III's granting of clemency to political prisoner Mariano Umbrero, who died on July 15.
“Apparently the President did not know he gave conditional pardon to a dead man – 'Tatay Umbrero' who died on July 15, 2011 – whose release paper was signed by PNoy on July 19," said Emmanuel Amistad, TFDP's executive director.
"It seems that Umbrero’s release papers stopped at a bureaucratic red light and did not move until he was dead," Amistad added.
Mariano Umbrero. TFDP file photo
But deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte on Friday told reporters at Malacañang no one had informed the president that the prisoner, whose name she can't even remember, was already dead.
“Pumanaw [yung inmate] on the 15th at napirmahan yung kanyang pardon on the 19th... In the interim, wala hong nag-inform sa Office of the President na pumanaw na pala...."
A day after Umbrero died at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) Hospital, TFDP and other human rights groups called Aquino a heartless president for turning a deaf ear on the appeal of the political prisoner's family for clemency.
Umbrero was diagnosed with lung cancer (stage 4) in February this year. However, unfavorable condition at the national penitentiary may have aggravated his illness, human rights organization Medical Action Group (MAG) had said.
According to Amistad, TFDP got a copy of Umbrero’s release papers only on July 28.
But Valte said “We tried to find out what happened, wala pong maibigay na impormasyon," adding that with the incident, the Palace would now look into closer coordination to prevent the same from happening again.
She extended Malacanang’s sympathy to the family of the inmate and wished the clemency – though late – may comfort them.
“Gusto po nating ipaabot ang ating pakikiramay sa mga naiwan niya ang we find it deeply unfortunate na nagkaroon ng supervening event," she said.
“Sana yung naibigay na clemency sa kanya ng Pangulo kahit na dumating pagkatapos ng kanyang pagpanaw sana po kahit konti, kahit papaano, kahit kakarampot ay maibsan ang pagdadalamhati ng kanyang naiwan," she added.
According to prison records Umbrero was sentenced by the Aparri Regional Trial Court for kidnapping and serious illegal detention. The sentence was affirmed by the Supreme Court.
As of May 2011, Umbrero had served only eight years of his sentence.
A political prisoner
To Malacañang, Umbrero, 63, maybe a common prisoner, but to the TFDP and other human rights groups, he was a political prisoner.
Early in March, human rights group led by the TFDP launched a campaign to free Umbrero for humanitarian grounds.
According to TFDP’s records, "Tatay Umbrero" as they fondly called him, was one of the 320 political prisoners languishing in jails nationwide.
“PNoy must listen and look into the plight of our political prisoners. He should learn the lesson and heed the call of the political prisoners who have been on hunger strike since July 25. PNoy should act immediately again before another Umbrero happens," TFDP's Amistad said.
Hunger strike
Political prisoners at the NBP in Muntinlupa City, launched a hunger strike on the day Aquino delivered his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 25.
Last Thursday, members of human rights groups, peoples’ organizations, religious groups and supporters gathered inside the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) compound and held a solidarity fast for political detainees.
“On their fifth day of their hunger strike, the political prisoners at the NBP stopped all food intakes and only took in liquids to dramatize their demand for government to look into the gravity of injustice they suffered," TFDP said.
"Let us hope and pray that no more lives will be lost before government acts on political prisoners' demands. Baka kailangan pa nila ng mas maraming kape para dumilat ang kanilang mga mata at makita ang kalagayan ng mga bilanggong pulitikal," MAG's executive director Edeliza P. Hernandez said
According to TFDP, the regular supply of meals of the prisoners or “rancho" as the inmates call it are now piling up in front of the NBP Building 11, where the political prisoners stage their hunger strike.
“The on-going hunger strike of political prisoners for freedom and human rights are guided and inspired by the lessons from the prison struggles of the late Sen. Ninoy Aquino, P-Noy’s father and other political prisoners during the Marcos dictatorship in the 1970s and first half of the 1980s," TFDP said.
In a letter of appeal sent to the Office of the President, the political prisoners laid down their calls for PNoy to pronounce a clear National Human Rights program, for immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners and for prison reforms particularly to amend the Rules on Parole and Guidelines for Recommending Executive Clemency which is not in conformity with the principles of restorative justice.
For his part, Max De Mesa, chairperson of the Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA) said: “It is imperative that the government declares its clear program for the respect and protection of human rights which we find lacking in the first year of the Aquino administration and in his recent SONA." — Amita Legaspi, with a report by Egay Cabalitan Jr.
