DAVAO CITY, Philippines — The Davao City Council passed a resolution to support the call for the release of all political prisoners as a step to achieve peace.
The council also called on the justice department and the Congress to hasten the review of the cases of the political prisoners and approve the general amnesty proclamation.
“Freeing all political prisoners is a critical component of the continuation and conclusion of the peace talks which our President is so passionately advocating for. However, the Congress and the Senate need to approve the general amnesty proclamation before the government can take away any step in freeing all political detainees,” City Councilor Antoinette Principe said in a privilege speech during the special session of the city council on Dec. 9.
Principe, author of the resolution, told Davao Today that the resolution was approved under suspended rules.
“No one objected to it,” she said.
Principe said she is looking forward to the release of 50 political prisoners on humanitarian grounds as announced by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process.
“We are thus calling on the Congress to support this necessary step to peace and allow the President to make true of his promise to release all political prisoners,” she said.
Porferio Tuna, peace consultant of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, lauded the initiative of the City Council.
“The support of peace talks and call for the release of political prisoners is a right action of person who wish for just and peace,” Tuna said in a text message to DavaoToday.
“I salute the city council of Davao city for standing together with the masses in order to solve the root cause of armed conflict,” Tuna added.
Tuna said the prolonged release of the political prisoners adds more pain and injustice to them.
As of now, there are 400 political prisoners across the country. (davaotoday.com)
