After almost five years of detention, four farm workers and cultural workers walked free after charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives against them were dismissed by the Regional Trial Court Branch 57 in San Carlos City. The four were arrested and have been detained since September 18, 2019. The court dismissed their case on July 31 after the victims filed a demurrer of evidence.

National Federation of Sugar Workers (NFSW)-Northern Negros spokesperson Joel Guillermo, NFSW-Toboso member Leon Charita, and Rolly Hernando and Kenneth Serondo of Teatro Obrero were released on the same day.

The 79th IB and policemen arrested the four, along with four others, dubbed the Escalante 8, in Barangay Jonob-jonob, Escalante City while practising for an activity to commemorate the Escalante Massacre anniversarry. Bienvinido Ducay and Carlo Apurado remain in jail while the no charges were brought against the other two.

NFSW-Negros and Human Rights Advocate Negros (HRAN) congratulated and welcomed the court’s decision. “The lack of sufficient evidence … [against] members of progressive organizations such as the NFSW proves that [the state’s] only aim is to weaken the ranks of the struggling farm workers, intimidate them and silence their resistance,” NFSW-Negros said.

“We continue to call for the release of Ducay and Apurado of the Escalante 8 who are still in prison…we will not stop campaigning until the political prisoners are released,” the group added.

The Escalante 8 is among the more than 200 activists, farmers and individuals arrested under the Duterte regime. HRAN said 127 of them continue to languish in jail. HRAN enjoins all democratic sectors to call for the the immediate release of political prisoners and the dismissal of all trumped-up charges against them.