Human rights group seeks Christmas furloughs for political detainees, too

TARLAC CITY — The human rights group, Karapatan, has demanded lawmakers and the judicial branch of the government extend the same "Christmas furlough" they want to give deposed former President Joseph Estrada to more than 300 political prisoners still languishing in jails across the country.

Danny Beltran, the group’s national deputy secretary general, said that if members of Congress could give a "plunderer" such a concession, "then we are appealing for the greater humanitarian sense of our Representatives to provide the same privilege to at least 313 political prisoners."

Members of the Lower House, mostly the younger solons, including those allied with the pro-administration Lakas-NUCD, were amenable to Estrada’s request for a "house arrest" during the Holiday break.

This sentiment was followed by a decision by the Sandiganbayan’s special division granting the fallen former matinee idol’s request to be allowed to bathe himself at the Mother Ignacia Healing Center in Caloocan City as part of his "spiritual healing." The privilege was also extended to Estrada’s son, former San Juan Mayor Jose "Jinggoy" Estrada.

The two Estradas, who are both facing charges for the capital offense of plunder, have been placed under "hospital arrest" at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC).

But Beltran said that the "courtesies" being extended by the Arroyo administration to Estrada and his son are "a gross insult to every Filipino who participated in People Power II."

Then Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo assumed the presidency after the Estrada administration was toppled on Jan. 20 last year by a popular revolt triggered by allegations of massive corruption in the government.

"Unlike Joseph Estrada who was ousted for plundering our national economy, these political prisoners whose freedom of expression and belief were violated should not be languishing in jail," said Beltran.

He added that political prisoners who have been detained since the martial law years "are more deserving of a Christmas furlough, house arrest and even a presidential pardon than (the Estradas)."

Beltran further accused those who supported the request of Estrada’s lawyers of having committed "the ultimate betrayal to the aspirations of (the) people."