Warrant vs NAPC chief, 3 ex-solons is ‘unjust persecution’

MANILA — The arrest warrants against National Anti-Poverty Commission lead convenor Liza Maza and other former party-list lawmakers for murder cases in 2006 are unjust persecution, women's group Gabriela said.

Palayan City Regional Trial Court Branch 40 Judge Evelyn Atienza-Turla two weeks ago issued the arrest warrants for Maza, former Agrarian Reform Secretary Rafael Mariano, and former Bayan Muna partylist representatives Satur Ocampo and Teddy Casiño for the murders of Danilo Felipe, Carlito Bayudang and Jimmy Peralta in 2001 and 2004.

Gabriela, where Maza serves as chairperson emerita, called the 2006 murder charges “trumped-up.”

“Secretary Maza is a staunch women and human rights activist who has fought in various capacities for the people's cause for several decades now. She chose the path to serve the people through government service and yet the very same government she serves persecutes her for unjust reasons,” Gabriela said in a statement Monday.

It added: “The Duterte government continues to demonize and persecute perceived opposition, including those whose record of service is untainted even as they served the government like Maza and Mariano.”

CASIÑO: WE WILL EXHAUST ALL REMEDIES

In a statement Sunday, Casiño said that he—along with Maza, Ocampo and Mariano— will exhaust all remedies to fight the charges.

“That this attempt to curtail my liberty and stop me from my advocacies and social involvement is happening in the shadow of a looming DuterteArroyo-Marcos alliance makes it even more objectionable and frightening,” he said.

Activist groups staged a protest action in front of Philippine National Police headquarters at Camp Crame on Monday, denouncing the arrest orders for the former party-list solons.

Director General Oscar Albayalde, PNP chief, said he has ordered the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group to look for the four former legislators.

He also urged them to surrender.

“I am also appealing to these individuals to just turn themselves in and to submit themselves to judicial processes,” Albayalde said.