The Panay Alliance Karapatan at Kapatid Panay demand the immediate release of 74-year-old ailing political detainee Tomas Dominado. Dominado was arrested on December 5 in Barangay Sooc, Arevalo, Iloilo City, on charges of murder and rebellion filed a decade ago in court.

According to both groups, Dominado survived a stroke last year, is bedridden, and can only move using a wheelchair and the care he receives. Additionally, he has experienced hypertension, heart enlargement, neurological deficits, and other serious medical issues, and his detention will exacerbate his condition.

“He needs urgent medical intervention that cannot be adequately provided by detention facilities,” they stated. Furthermore, they assert that his arrest is part of a relentless campaign of harassment against government critics. Dominado, a long-time activist, is the husband of desaparecido Maria Luisa Posa-Dominado.

To fabricate a story, state forces falsely claimed having found a gun and ammunition on his companion forming the basis for charging him with illegal possession of firearms and ammunition. He was also charged with “terrorism” or violation of the Anti-Terrorism Act for providing material support to a presumed terrorist organization, and with harboring the main accused and obstruction of justice.

“We firmly assert that the charges against them are baseless, fabricated, and politically motivated, exemplifying the systematic misuse of judicial processes to silence activists,” the two organizations declared. This is part of a long list of similar incidents of arrest and prolonged detention of activists and government critics.

They urged democratic organizations to join in their demand to dismiss the cases against the two and immediately release them.