đź“·: Karapatan | FB
A total of 27 political detainees have died in detention from the administrations of Noynoy Aquino and Rodrigo Duterte up to the current government of Ferdinand Marcos Jr., according to the human rights group Karapatan.
Of the 27 recorded deaths while in custody, 3 occurred under Aquino, 11 under Duterte, and 13 during the current administration.
On July 17, the Makabayan bloc—led by ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. Antonio Tinio and Kabataan Partylist Rep. Renee Co—reintroduced the Antonio Molina Billin the 20th Congress. The bill seeks to amend Republic Act No. 10389, or the Recognizance Act of 2012.
According to progressive lawmakers, the continued detention of Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL) who are elderly or suffering from serious illnesses poses a threat to their health and lives.
The measure also aims to guarantee that all individuals enjoy their constitutional rights to bail and recognizance**, regardless of socioeconomic status.
The Antonio Molina Bill aligns with international human rights standards and emphasizes the importance of equal and humane treatment of PDLs.
It also highlights the disparity in treatment compared to high-profile individuals—such as Imelda Marcos and Juan Ponce Enrile—who were granted release due to old age and poor health.
By recalibrating the criteria for bail and recognizance, the bill intends to reduce the number of PDLs who have long awaited trial, helping to ease overcrowding in detention facilities across the country.
It further includes provisions acknowledging the distinct needs and vulnerabilities of the elderly and ill within prison environments.
The reintroduction of the Antonio Molina Bill coincides with renewed calls for justice for political prisoners who were elderly and seriously ill.
These individuals were not only denied the freedom they rightly deserved due to fabricated charges but were also deprived of the chance to spend their remaining years with loved ones while battling grave health conditions. (ZIA LUNA)
