Murder raps vs female activist dismissed

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines – A female activist, who had been detained in Cagayan for nine months for the killing of a village chief, regained her freedom on Christmas Eve after a Cagayan regional trial court (RTC) cleared her of any involvement in the case.

Myrna Cruz-Abraham, consultant of various peasant and development groups in Cagayan Valley, was freed after Judge Marivic Beltran of RTC Branch 3 dismissed the murder charges against her.

In dismissing the case, Beltran said there was insufficient evidence to link Abraham to last year’s killing of village chief Johnny Belo of Tuguegarao City’s Barangay Dadda.

Abraham got her freedom when the court also allowed her to post bail for the gun charges filed against her by the police and military in connection with Belo’s slay.

“We have been working for her release even during the term of President Arroyo since she was arrested without just cause and we are very happy that she has been released,” said Gretchen Valdez, spokesperson of Bayan-Cagayan Valley.

Reports said Abraham, also a member of the Anakpawis party-list group in Cagayan, was officially released at around 9 a.m. Friday.