De Venecia urged to intercede for illegally arrested solon

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 25, 2006



*De Venecia urged to intercede for illegally arrested solon *



Anakpawis officers are urging House Speaker Jose de Venecia to intercede in
the warrantless arrest of Rep. Crispin B. Beltran earlier this morning and
support calls for his immediate release.



In a letter sent to the House of Representatives, Rep. Beltran's acting
Chief-of-Staff Ofelia Balleta called on de Venecia to 'uphold the integrity
of the House of Representatives and of the Constitution which gives its
members immunity from any arrest while Congress is in session'.



Rep. Beltran is presently still in the custody of the CIDG after being
'invited for questioning' by armed and uniformed officials led by a certain
Maj. Rene Corpuz.



Balleta condemned the illegal arrest of Rep. Beltran and the attempted
arrest of Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo, saying that these were 'blatant acts
of unbridled harassment of progressive party list solons'.


'This is political repression of the highest degree. It is no different,
and perhaps even worse than, the political repression that prevailed
during Martial Law,' she said.

' And to think that Rep. Beltran survived the perils of Martial Law only
to be subjected to the same forms of political suppression decades
after,' Balleta
added.



Balleta also expressed apprehensions over Rep. Beltran's state of health
while being 'invited for questioning' by CIDG officials, fearing any
untoward physical harassment or psychological stress that might cause the
73-year old solon's blood pressure to shoot up.