Donate: ichrp.net/Holiday2024
Amid the holiday gatherings and celebrations, ICHRP calls for the international public to remember and support political prisoners and their families. According to Karapatan, there are currently 757 political prisoners in the Philippines, including 148 arrested under Marcos Jr., 17 NDFP consultants and staff, 97 sickly, 103 elderly, and 156 women.
While the holiday season is one marked by the call for peace, there is no peace in the Philippines. The final months of 2024 have seen a surge in arrests of peace consultants, whereas releasing political prisoners would’ve been a positive gesture toward peace.
Instead, the Marcos regime racked up violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, arresting even the sick and elderly, as in the recent case of Tomas “Tom” Dominado. Jr. This holiday season, we are deeply troubled by the plight of 74 year old Tom, who, despite being paralyzed on his right side and battling hypertension, diabetes, and other serious ailments, was arrested on December 5, 2024 under charges of rebellion and murder. Immobile and reliant on assistance even for basic tasks like eating, Tom remains under the custody of Philippine authorities unable to be cared for by loved ones and deprived of compassion.
Political prisoners face the brutal conditions of Philippine jails. These often include cramped cells, lack of fresh air, lack of access to sufficient medical care, minimal food and harassment and intimidation from prison guards. Especially during the holidays, political prisoners face the psychological trauma of being separated from friends and loved ones while being locked away unjustly.
This holiday season, ICHRP calls for donations to support the needs of political prisoners, including support for legal needs, food, and family visitation of relatives especially those coming from the provinces. Our call for a just and lasting peace remains–release all political prisoners and truly address the root causes of conflict in the country.
