A POLITICAL prisoners support group has urged courts to release activists who are detained over trumped-up charges and baseless search warrants after the Court of Appeals affirmed the voided warrants against a journalist and labor organizer who were detained for illegal possession in 2020.  

“The Court of Appeals essentially saw through the police shenanigans of manufactured evidence,” Fides M. Lim, convenor of Kapatid, said in a Facebook Messenger chat.  

The appellate court affirmed the voided search warrants against Lady Ann Salem and Rodrigo Esparago, citing that there was no probable cause for the unlawful search and seizure of their laptops and cellphones. 

Ms. Lim said 76 search warrants came from a Quezon City trial court that led to the imprisonment of activists.  

“But justice still hangs in suspended animation for the four other imprisoned activists arrested with Lady Ann Salem and Rodrigo Esparago on Dec. 10, 2020, she said.  

Police arrested a total of seven individuals, most of them labor organizers, over illegal guns and explosives charges on Human Rights Day on Dec. 10, 2020.  

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla had said the government does not sanction attacks, harassment or intimidation of activists and journalists. — John Victor D. Ordoñez

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