January

12, 2016

On the Death of Ka Eddie Serrano, Peace Consultant

The Cordillera Human Rights Alliance and Samahan ng mga Ex-Detainees Laban sa
Detensyon at Aresto (SELDA) Northern Luzon express our deepest sympathies to
the family of Eduardo Ka Eddik Serrano and the peasants especially those in the
Southern Tagalog region whom he has served until his last breath.

Ka Eddik Serrano, 62 years old, a consultant to the Peace Negotiations of the
National Democractic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) died due to cardiac arrest
while in hospital arrest last January 8,2016 at the Philippine Heart Center.

According to Karapatan, Eduardo Serrano has been deprived of his civil and political
rights since his Gestapo-style abduction, torture and especially when he was
deprived of the right to counsel and access to and by his family and human rights
organizations from May 2, 2004 to May 12, 2004; up to his almost twelve years of
incarceration based on five trumped up criminal charges. Three of these were
dismissed for lack of evidence. One other case was up for promulgation, and the
remaining case is on trial.

What does it mean to have a man be robbed off of 11 years of his life because of his
political beliefs?

It means the insincerity of this State to its word when it signed the Joint Agreement
for Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG) and its insincerity to truly address the
roots of the civil war in the Philippines with the Peace Negotiations.

It means to live in dire conditions inside a jail for Serrano, who was hypertensive
and diabetic and was among the sickly and elderly political prisoners.

It means the unjust use of the justice system for political repression and persecution
for those critical against the anti-people people policies of the Philippine
government. Those who violate peoples rights are scot-free and rewarded with the
culture of impunity in this country while those who work for peace based on justice
are wrongfully arrested and jailed.

Last year, we appealed to President Benigno Simeon Aquino III to release political
prisoners during the visit of Pope Francis especially the sick and the aging. Beyond
callous, he did not grant any release nor gave any prisoner presidential pardon.

Thus, we reiterate our call for the unconditional and immediate release of all
political prisoners. No incident such as this should happen again.

Ka Eddik, even in incarceration, was unwavering in his commitment to the people.
He remains as a beacon of hope to the peasants and the democratic classes in our
society tirelessly working for genuine peace and freedom. He is an inspiration to the
Cordillera people as well.#


For reference:

Imelda Tabiando
Secretary General
Cordillera Human Rights Alliance
Mobile number: 09189199007

Brenda Dacpano
Secretary General
SELDA-NL