Kabataan Partylist

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/regions/view_article.php?article_id=61223

Bayan Muna, youth party protest detention of two members
By Jolene Bulambot
Inquirer
Last updated 11:18pm (Mla time) 04/18/2007

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Bearing placards, 20 members of two party-list groups protested the alleged abduction and detention of their two members in front of the city courthouse.

The members of the Bayan Muna and the Kabataan party-list groups held a brief silent protest in front of the Marcelo Fernan Hall of Justice in uptown Cebu City to call the public’s attention to the detention of Beethoven Avila, 28, Cebu City South district coordinator of the

Avila said unidentified men also took him into a waiting van upon his arrival from Cagayan City at Pier 5 at 8 a.m. on April 12.

He said he was hit several times on the thighs and the body while being interrogated.

“Still blindfolded and handcuffed, they hit me on the chest, head and thigh as they wanted to force me to admit involvement with the revolutionary armed movement which I vehemently denied,” Avila said in his affidavit. He also named Naldoza as one of his interrogators.

Both Daño and Avila said they were brought to the Toledo City hall on April 13 and were later released to the Regional Intelligence and Investigation Division (RIID) of the Police Regional Office in the evening.

Senior Superintendent Augusto Marquez, the RIID chief, said the military endorsed Daño and Avila to their unit after the two were arrested based on a warrant of arrest for murder charges.

Marquez, however, said both activists were later released after the Regional Trial Court in Toledo City remanded the murder case to the city prosecutor for re-investigation and temporarily set aside the arrest warrants.

However, Marquez refused to name the military unit that endorsed Daño and Avila to his office.

Bayan Muna Cebu secretary general Armand Perez said they would pursue the filing of criminal and administrative charges against some military officials for kidnapping and electioneering before the Ombudsman this week.

Related stories:
Soldiers grab party-list staff (Sun Star Cebu)
Legitimate arrest, says police: Militant leaders claim abduction (The Freeman Cebu)
Probe on alleged abduction of 2 militant leaders urged (The Freeman Cebu)
Party-list groups ready harassment charges vs. military (The Freeman Cebu)

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