Gabriela Women's Party condemns illegal arrest and detention of Gabriela-Negros member

GWP Secretary General Cristina Palabay condemned today the illegal arrest and detention of Mary Grace Delicano, a volunteer campaigner of GWP in 2007 elections and a campaign staff of Gabriela-Negros since 1993.

"Delicano's illegal arrest and detention is an alarming case of the witchhunt spree of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Arroyo government in Negros and in the country," Palabay said.

Delicano was arrested without warrant last September 25 at Bacolod Public Plaza after buying her child's medicine, interrogated by members of Philippine National Police and Philippine Army without counsel and robbery charge was filed against her. The robbery in band charges accused her of being "Ka Kim" of the New People's Army and linked her to the raid of a police outpost in Escalante City by members of NPA last March 19, 2006.

"The PNP and PA baselessly linked Delicano to the robbery in band charge without plausible and valid evidence on accusations regarding her identity and involvement with the alleged crime, to harass and to get rid of progressive partylist groups like GWP," Palabay further stated.

Delicano's case adds up to Karapatan's report of 67 victims of illegal arrest and 41 victims of illegal detention from January to June 2008. Under the Arroyo government, it has a record of 260 women as victims of illegal detention and a total of 1,606 including children and other sectors. There are 21 women recorded as political prisoners under the same government.

"Arroyo's notoriety as a violator of women's human rights aggravates. We demand the immediate release of Mary Grace Delicano," Palabay ended.###