By RODA TAJON
www.nordis.net

VIGAN CITY ― She was supposed to spend Christmas with her family after months of languishing behind bars; but an hour after she was freed, she was again arrested.

At around 1:00 PM of December 9, a day before the Commemoration of the International Human Rights Day, Gloria Floresca was arrested by joint forces of Philippine National Police (PNP)-Abra led by Police Chief Inspector Lou Claro, the Regional Intelligence Unit (RIU-14), the Philippine Army and Ilocos Sur PNP lead by PSupt. Angelo Racho by the virtue of a warrant of arrest under Criminal Case 2011-125 issued by Judge Corpus Alzate of RTC Branch 2, Bangued, Abra.

Floresca was alleged by the PNP and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) as a top-ranking official of the Communist Party to which her former colleagues and family denied. The AFP and PNP listed Floresca as number 3 in their Order of Battle (OB).

The OB, as claimed by various human rights advocates, has resulted to arrests, detention, extrajudicial killings, and enforced disappearances of political activists, journalists and civilians.

Linda Caluza, Gabriela-Ilocos spokesperson said that the charges filed against Floresca are all fabricated. “The AFP and PNP are desperate to defeat its ‘enemies’ that is why they resort to vilifying, arresting imagined or invented enemies, and violating the rights of legal and democratic organizations.”

Caluza stressed and said that the claims of the PNP and AFP that they champion human rights are all a sham and part of the ploy to deceive the people. “They are the worst violators of human rights, especially of women’s rights.” Caluza cited.

Caluza challenged the AFP and PNP to prove their allegations against Floresca. “As proven in the past, these charges are just meant to threaten, harass, and intimidate leaders and members of the national democratic movement.” Caluza pointed out and also called on the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) to urgently act on this “the worst kind of violence against women”.

She also called that Floresca’s and other political prisoners be released in time for Christmas, “Free our sister! Free all political prisoners!” She concluded.

Floresca was first arrested last July 21, at her house in Naguilian, La Union and was detained for five months until RTC Branch 25 in Tagudin, Ilocos Sur dismissed the rebellion charges against her. She is currently detained at the Abra Provincial Jail. # nordis.net