MEMBERS of government peace panel expressed sympathy over the death of political prisoner Bernabe Ocasla.
In a press release issued Thursday, December 1, the government peace panel negotiating with the National Democratic Front (NDF), had extended their deepest sympathy to the family of peasant leader Bernabe Ocasla who passed away Monday at the Jose Reyes Hospital in Manila.
According to the press release, the 66 year-old Ocasla, one of the political prisoners who are considered for release on humanitarian grounds, had succumbed to cardiac arrest after days in coma.
“It was a sad development. We offer our sympathies to the family of Mr. Ocasla,” said Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) peace panel Chairperson Secretary Silvestre Bello III, in the statement.
Bello said the panel would have wanted to allow Ocasla’s freedom before he died.
Bello also assured President Rodrigo Duterte is determined to release political prisoners through judicial processes.
“The more than 400 political prisoners will be released in due time,” Bello stated.
Bello added it was unfortunate the Ocasla’s death happened just as GRP are working for the release of the elderly, sick and long detained NDF members on humanitarian grounds.
He hoped the incident would not affect the ongoing peace talks, adding that the release of the political prisoners is a work in progress.
He emphasized the strong commitment of Duterte on the release of political prisoners. However, he said there are legal and judicial issues that need to be addressed.
“There will be a release of substantial number of political prisoners based on humanitarian grounds particularly the women, sickly and senior citizens in the coming days,” Bello said.
This release of prisoners is also in accordance with the signed agreements between the GRP and NDF panels in Oslo, Norway during the resumption of formal talks last August.
The planned release is part of the continuing efforts to expedite and accelerate the peace negotiations and processes that are also brokered by the Royal Norwegian Government.
Meanwhile, Karapatan-Southern Mindanao Region was alarmed with the death of political prisoner Ocasla.
Karapatan spokesperson Jay Apiag, in a telephone interview with VoxPop Davao Thursday, said their group was alarmed as Ocasla died in a time when the GRP made pronouncements of the release of sick political prisoners.
"Ang Karapatan nabalaka ug ginakondena ang nahitabo kini ilalom sa panaad sa gobyerno na ipagawas ang masakiton na political prisoner. Pila pa ka political prisoners ang ilang hulaton bag-o ni buy-an? (The Karapatan was worried about this incident and at the same time, we also condemn this incident which happened under the promise of the government to release the sick political prisoners. How many more political prisoners need to die before they will take action?),” he said.
Apiag said that 24 of the 86 political prisoners in Southern Mindanao Region are sick.
He also mentioned Amelia Pond who is now confined at the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) after she had a spinal surgery.
Apiag said Pond will still have to go back to prison after her treatment.
“I hope President Duterte will be true to his words and will consider the condition of the political prisoners not only the in the Southern Mindanao Region.”
He also hopes the congestion problems in different jails will also be addressed by the President.
Apiag added on December 3, prisoners inside the Compostela Valley Provincial Rehabilitation Center will have a noise barrage together with their families to remind the government about its promise to release 200 prisoners.
Aside from that, on December 5, Kapatan will also lead a picket protest for the release political prisoners.