A group of human rights advocates has called on the government to conduct investigations on reports of systemic torture, and cruel and degrading punishments against political prisoners in their places of detention.

The call of Kapatid, a group supporting families and friends of political prisoners, was addressed to the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) and the Committees on Human Rights and Justice of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

The group’s call was aired as the country and the whole world celebrates today, June 26, the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture.

Wikipedia says June 26 is celebrated to renew annually the fight “against the crime of torture and to honor and support victims and survivors throughout the world.”

In a statement issued by Kapatid, its Spokesperson Fides Lim said there are now 745 political prisoners who are unfortunately the recipients of widespread and well-documented abuse, mostly in rural areas or those with suspected New People’s Army (NPA) links.

Lim alleged that the prisoners experience beatings, sleep deprivation, death threats, and prolonged interrogations.

She also alleged that while in detention, the political prisoners face isolation, 24-hour padlocking, red-tagging, and other arbitrary restrictions.

Citing examples, Kapatid’s statement alleged of the 103 political prisoners in Negros Island, three of them were arrested without a warrant and endured bodily harm.

It claimed that Andres Casido was arrested without a warrant last August 2018 in Manjuyod, Negros Oriental, and was suffocated with plastic and beaten with fists and rifle butts to coerce a confession out of him.

It also claimed that Jojo Orates was also arrested without a warrant last January 2019 in Ayungon, Negros Oriental right after getting married. Ground chili pepper was rubbed on his face and he was forced to kneel for 11 hours with his head covered and beaten, it said.

It added that another political prisoner arrested without a warrant in August 2020 was Renel Remasog. Not only was he severely beaten, but he was also forced to watch the torture and extrajudicial killing of his older brother, Rekim, it alleged.

At the same time, Kapatid said there are nine political prisoners in Pagbilao District Jail in Quezon province who have been prohibited from speaking to one another. They are often padlocked by 4 pm and deprived their dinner, it alleged.

It also alleged that red-tagging is another issue of concern, as political prisoners are labelled as “CTG” which stands for Communist Terrorist Group or “VEO” or Violent Extremist Offenders.

These signs are placed outside their cells which subject them to grave danger and expose them to stigma, it added.