The police arrested Anakpawis party-list fourth nominee and peasant leader Isabelo Adviento last night in Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya. His arrest is the third documented case of harassment against members of progressive party-lists since the official election campaign period began.
Adviento was detained on the charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives, according to rights group Taripnong-Cagayan Valley. He is currently held in Baggao, Cagayan, a town located 40 kilometers north of the capital Tuguegarao City.
Adviento has been previously red-tagged for his work as a regional coordinator of the Anakpawis party-list and as the president of the farmers' organization Danggayan-Cagayan Valley.
In December 2020, state forces broke into the homes of Adviento and Amanda Echanis, the daughter of slain peace consultant Randall Echanis. Echanis was arrested after an M16 assault rifle and a hand grenade were found in her home. Progressives contend that the supposed evidence against Echanis was planted. Adviento, meanwhile, evaded arrest as he was outside his home conducting relief operations for typhoon victims.
Adviento has already denied the baseless allegations against him. “Hindi ako terrorista, lehitimo ang aming dala-dalang panawagan. Ang hawak-hawak namin ay placard, petisyon, papel at bolpen, hindi baril,” Adviento said in a Facebook post in 2020.
Adviento's arrest occurred after the assassination attempt last month against Bayan Muna regional coordinator Larry Villegas in General Santos City, and the arrest of 12 Anakpawis party-list volunteers in Cavite. The Makabayan Bloc has already been subjected to red-tagging and harassment even before the campaign season, but attacks against progressives have intensified during this election season.
In a televised speech last week, Duterte red-tagged the progressive party-lists, yet again claiming that they are "legal fronts" of the Communist Party of the Philippines without basis. Gabriela Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas said that the latest tirades of Duterte showed how desperate he is to disrupt the re-election campaign of progressive party-lists.
“Paghudyat ito sa panibagong bugso ng harassment, pananakot at pagpapatahimik sa mga kampanyador at taga-suporta ng Makabayan bloc,” Brosas said in a press conference last week. “Duterte and his cohorts in the NTF-ELCAC should stop endangering the lives of civilians who are merely espousing the politics of change by the Makabayan bloc.”
Bayan Muna Party-list called for the urgent release of Adviento, saying that his arrest is part of the administration's tactics to malign the opposition. The Koalisyong Makabayan, which includes Bayan Muna, Anakpawis, Gabriela, Kabataan, and ACT-Teachers party-lists, has already pledged its support for Vice President Leni Robredo and Sen. Francis Pangilingan’s campaign.
Taripnong-Cagayan Valley echoed the call of Bayan Muna for the immediate release of Adviento, pointing out that the arrest was conducted based on questionable and planted evidence. The rights group also urged the people to amplify the calls against the red-tagging of activists and peasant leaders in the Cagayan Valley.
“Ang pagkahuli kay Adviento ay naghahatid ng pagdadalamhati. Ngunit kasabay nito ay ang mas malakas na pagpapanawagang tumindig at ipaglaban ang karapatan ng mga magsasaka,” Taripnong-Cagayan Valley said. ●
