PRISONERS slammed Proclamation 1093 granting amnesty to 715 prisoners who are allegedly self-confessed members of the communist movement, saying its conditions are a further form of political oppression.
“It is totally unjust that those foisted with false charges will own up to crimes they did not commit just to be able to leave prison,” the prisoners said in a statement on Monday released through human rights group Kapatid.
“Proclamation 1093 is a sham. This cannot be the means for the release of political prisoners. This is a proclamation of continuing oppression of political prisoners,” they added.
They said the other provisions of the proclamation that makes it “fake” and a “trap” are: amnesty will only be given to those who surrendered, prisoners must prove that their crime was committed only to fight for their political beliefs, and prisoners must not have been proscribed and charged and convicted under the Human Security Act of 2007 and the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020.
Proclamation 1093 was signed by President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Feb. 16, 2021, along with three others granting amnesty to Moro rebel groups, and the Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa ng Pilipinas/Revolutionary Proletarian Army/Alex Boncayao Brigade.
The Philippine government has declared the Communist Party of the Philippines as a terrorist group. — Bianca Angelica D. Anago
