Human Rights Advocates Negros (HRAN) condemned 79th IB for the arrest of peasant leader Jose Puancing on October 7. Puancing was arrested on fabricated charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives allegedly found during a raid on his home in 2019.
According to HRAN, Puancing was arrested based on evidence of arms and explosives which the Philippine National Police (PNP) and 79th IB claimed to have found when executing a search warrant on the offices of various mass organizations in Bacolod and Escalante City in 2019. The warrant was issued by Judge Cecilyn Burgos-Villavert of the Quezon City court.
Most cases that resulted from Villavert’s defective warrants have been dismissed by the court due to lack of evidence.
HRAN is concerned about the renewed wave of arrests of peasant leaders and farm workers in the past year in the context of the Marcos regime’s counterinsurgency campaign.
“HRAN calls on the public to condemn the arrest and join our protest against the ongoing attacks on mass organizations,” the group said.
