Health workers, human rights defenders, church people, and different groups held various activities and visits to political prisoners this December. They brought material support to celebrate the Christmas season and moral support to strengthen the spirit of political prisoners the reactionary state have illegally detained for years.

Karapatan records at least 757 are political prisoners in the Philippines. Of this number, 103 are elderly, 97 are sick, 156 are women and 17 are National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) peace talks consultants and staff. There are at least 148 new political prisoners under the Marcos regime alone.

Youth and veteran activists went to prisons to join political prisoners and learn about their situation. Groups visited prisons in Taguig City, Mandaluyong City, Quezon City, Muntinlupa City, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tacloban City, and other places.

Gabriela, under the campaign Free Our Sisters, led the visit to the Nueva Ecija Provincial Jail and Pampanga Provincial Jail on December 14. Through their initiative “Christmas in Prison,” the women’s group gathered food, personal care items, and other support for the prisoners. “This visit during the Christmas season highlights our unwavering solidarity with political prisoners who remain unjustly detained for their activism and service to marginalized communities,” Gabriela said.

On December 15, health workers and medical students led by the Philippine Medical Students’ Association-National (PMSA) and Philippine Nursing Association-National (PNA) visited Camp Bagong Diwa, Bicutan, Taguig City. They conducted brief medical consultations, shared a small meal, and performed cultural presentations with the political prisoners. Some prisoners also shared the circumstances of their arrest and their experiences in detention.

On December 17, mothers, priests, and other church people from the National Council of Churches in the Philippines, Promotion of Church Peoples’ Forum (PCPF), Ecumenical Bishops Forum (EBF), Church-People Workers Solidarity (CWS), Daughters of Charity, Congregation of Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena, Philippines, and Religious of the Good Shepherd (RGS) visited the 52 political prisoners at the New Bilibid Prison, Muntinlupa City.

Among those they met was NDFP peace consultant and former Negros Catholic priest Fr. Frank Fernandez. “We are very grateful for your visit. As you know, life here is very monotonous, and we have been living like this for [several] years. Your presence serves as a welcome respite from this routine,” Fr. Fernandez said. He added that it gave them the chance to talk to others and get some news from outside the prison. “[It made us feel] that we are still part of society,” he said.

On the same day, women activists led by Kapatid, the association of relatives of political prisoners and volunteers, and Gabriela, visited the Correctional Institute for Women (CIW) in Mandaluyong City. Veteran activist and martial law political prisoner Judy Taguiwalo also participated in the activity.

“I know that life as a prisoner is difficult, and it is even more difficult during Christmas and New Year: a time for reunions and gatherings with family and friends. The longing already felt for regular visits become more pronounced during Christmas,” Taguiwalo shared. During their visit to CIW, they had a small gathering and a program of poetry, songs, and dances. They also distributed the political prisoners’s requests including malongs, shoes, pants and school supplies for the alternative learning system.

On December 19, church people from the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) and PCPF visited Camp Karingal in Quezon City. They were also accompanied by leaders from Katribu-Kalipunan ng Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas and Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) secretary general Raymond Palatino.

On December 22, the National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL)-Tacloban City Law Students Chapter led the visit to political prisoners at the Tacloban City Jail. The future lawyers of the people witnessed prison conditions and heard the stories of victims of illegal detention. “I hope you are encouraged to get involved in human rights work because you can see firsthand the situation in the region,” Chakoy Abinguna of Tacloban 5 said.

On the same day, at least 18 people led by Karapatan-National Capital Region visited Camp Bagong Diwa and Camp Karingal. “Our political prisoners’ burning spirit for true justice and struggle for their rights remains. They are joined by a wide range of Filipino citizens who continue to suffer despite the occasion that should be joyful,” Karapatan-NCR said.

On December 24, Katribu leaders, including Amirah Lidasan of the Moro-Christian Peoples Alliance (MCPA) and Makabayan Coalition senatorial candidate, visited political prisoners from the national minority sector at Camp Karingal. They brought food for the prisoners’ humble noche buena. Meanwhile, one political prisoner expressed gratitude for the previously donated blood pressure set, which greatly benefitted many prisoners, not only political prisoners. “When they are released, they will leave the blood pressure set at the facility for others to use,” said one visitor.

In the previous week, three vehicles filled with paralegals and teachers from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) employees union also visited the political prisoners at the Metro Manila District Jail Annex 4 (MMDJ-4) in Camp Bagong Diwa. They brought rice for the prisoners’ consumption. They also shared a small meal and sang together. According to their letter to the prison warden, their visit was “part of the continuous development of the university’s service in accordance with the signed Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) and Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) and PUP.”

Another highlight activity with political prisoners was the visit and holy mass celebration by the newly installed cardinal of the Catholic Church, Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David, on December 26 at Camp Bagong Diwa. The visit of the Cardinal was led by Kapatid, the association of relatives of political prisoners and volunteers. Among those who met with the Cardinal were detained NDFP peace consultants.

Meanwhile, the Ilocos Human Rights Alliance condemned the BJMP for the visitation problem during the “open house” at the Ilocos Sur Provincial Jail. Because of this, the relatives of NDFP peace consultant Simon Naogsan, one of the 33 political prisoners in that jail, were unable to visit him.

Various organizations also launched letter-writing and donation drives for political prisoners. Even organizations of Filipino migrants sent letters and assistance.

In all these activities, political prisoners displayed their unwavering stance and spirit for the national and democratic aspirations of the people.