May 27, 2011
In its eighty years of existence, the College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) has been consistent in its principle that “to write is already to choose.” It is the guild’s trademark to always take sides, to always be biased for the truth and for the plight of the majority. For the guild, seeking and fighting for truth is a way towards a just and humane society. And that, for the guild, is the highest expression of genuine press freedom.
However, it is sad that the noble pursuit of young campus journalists to participate in social transformation is hampered by no less than the state forces. Series of state-sponsored violence committed against media practitioners, activists, church and development workers, and against all those who challenge the evil system have always been a form of apprehension to the campus journalists. These incidents are an indirect statement of aggression addressed to the young journalists who are on the way to serving the larger population. At some point of their desperation, the state forces do not just resort to indirect aggression but to direct assault against campus journalists. Our fellow guilder, Maricon “Eedom” Montajes, experienced the same fate.
Maricon or “Eedom” to her friends, a 21-year old BA Mass Communication-Film student of UP Diliman and a former member of the Outcrop, the official student publication of UP Baguio, was illegally arrested last June 3, 2010 in a raid by the 743 Combat Squadron of the Philippine Air Force while she was having an exposure trip in Taysan, Batangas to get materials for her media works. Maricon, together with two other young people, was arbitrarily detained in a military camp for five days. Inside the camp, they experienced physical and psychological tortures, and a number of violations of their civil and political rights. They were sued with trumped-up charges such as illegal possession of firearms, frustrated murder, homicide, and violation of the gun ban only to justify their arrest.
If not because of the persistent clamour of Maricon’s friends and family, she would not have been transferred to Batangas Provincial Jail. She would have remained in the military camp, which is not the proper place for custody.
CEGP-Mindanao strongly believes that with a more expansive and more persistent public clamour, Maricon could be freed, so, too, with all the other political prisoners held captive and criminalized by the state. The guild calls on its members to take active participation in this call to free Maricon “Eedom” Montajes and all political prisoners. Guilders are encouraged to write articles urging for the immediate release of Maricon and all political prisoners, conduct forums and discussions on Civil and Political Liberties and on the plight of the political detainees. Guilders are encouraged to maximize all means of disseminating the information, and even to engage in collective works with other organizations with similar aspirations with the guild.
The guild also urges the Aquino administration to give serious attention to the concerns of the political prisoners like Maricon. At the maximum, if President Aquino is indeed sincere with his peace efforts and his “daang matuwid”, he, like her mother Cory, must order the immediate release of all political prisoners who are detained for criminal instead of political charges. Many of these political detainees are also media practitioners. The guild calls on the government to respect its own constitution that guarantees freedom of belief, freedom of speech, freedom of organization, and freedom of full human development.
To write is already to choose. We write and we choose to say “Free Maricon Montajes! Free all political prisoners!” ###
For reference, please contact PAUL RANDY GUMANAO, CEGP Vice President for Mindanao, at 09326653192.
