(Photo: Altermidya People’s Network)

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines condemns the police and Mandaluyong City prosecutor’s office for cruelly continuing to block freedom for Manila Today editor Lady Ann Salem and trade unionist Rodrigo Esparago despite the dismissal of the obviously trumped up criminal charges against them.

The law is meant to protect, not persecute, the people.

Too often, however, it is turned into a weapon by the very people supposedly sworn to uphold it and wielded against those supposed to benefit from it. 

This is all too evident in the case of Icy, who remains behind bars despite the very clear findings of Judge Monique Quisumbing-Ignacio of Mandaluyong RTC Branch 209 who, on February 5, who voided the search warrant issued by Quezon City Judge Cecilyn Burgos-Villavert because it violated the Constitution and the Rules of Court, and scored the police for going on a “fishing expedition” and providing “inconsistent” testimonies.

If anything, the judgment should be more than enough reason not only to release Icy and Rodrigo but also to hold accountable each and everyone involved in this clear attempt to pervert the law.

Yet here we see the city prosecutor and police advocating double jeopardy!

While Judge Quisumbing-Ignacio’s decision was as courageous as it was just, it says everything about how our laws, how justice itself, have been and continue to be perverted and diminished that this ruling is the exception rather than the norm. 

But it is a ruling nevertheless that gives us reason to hope that Icy, Rodrigo, the rest of the Human Rights Day 7, Frenchie Mae Cumpio, and everyone else imprisoned and prosecuted on false charges shall be free.

Reference: 

National Directorate

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