END POLITICAL PERSECUTION!   PULL-OUT TROOP DEPLOYMENT IN CIVILIAN FACILITIES!   NO TO TRANSFER OF CUSTODY!

RELEASE FILIPINO ARTIST ERICSON ACOSTA

FROM UNJUST DETENTION NOW!

Ericson Acosta is a Filipino artist, journalist, and cultural activist arrested without warrant by the Philippine military while conducting human rights and environmental research in militarized upland barrio in San Jorge, Samar province on February 13, 2011. The trumped-up illegal possession of explosive complaint filed against him is currently pending review before the Philippines' Department of Justice (DOJ). 

He was named finalist of the 2011 Imprisoned Artist Prize at the Freedom to Create Awards festival in Cape Town, South Africa. The award is presented to artists who are imprisoned because of their courage and creativity in pursuing their art, and for the role of their work in highlighting injustice.  His supporters which include the Concerned Artists of the Philippines, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, the Philippine Center of the International PEN (Poets, Playwrights, Essayists, Novelists), among others call on Philippine authorities, particularly the DOJ, to immediately release Acosta by withdrawing the fabricated complaint lodged by the military against him. 

The Free Ericson Acosta Campaign also demands the pull-out of the highly irregular if not illegal presence of a squad of military men near his place of detention. A platoon of soldiers from the 87th IB was forst deployed in the nearby barrio since July 2011 in the pretext of military operations, but it has become apparent that the soldiers are there particularly to "guard" Acosta.

The prosecution's recent motion to transfer Acosta's custody from the sub-provincial jail in Calbayog City to a detention facility in Catbalogan near the headquarters of the 8th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army is unacceptable. This spells further harassment and intimidation for Acosta, his visitors and supporters. The Philippine government must free Ericson Acosta NOW!

STATEMENT OF SUPPORT CALLING FOR THE RELEASE OF ERICSON ACOSTA

Signed by hundreds of Filipino artists, journalists and human rights advocates
April 15, 2011

We, University of the Philippines alumni, academe, artists, writers, students, friends and colleagues of Ericson Legaspi Acosta, call for his immediate and unconditional release from his current illegal detention. 

Ericson is a cultural worker and writer and a former UP activist. During the 90's, he served as editor of the Philippine Collegian, UP's official student publication. He is a former chair of the cultural group Alay Sining, a former chair of the campus alliance STAND-UP and member of the UP Amnesty International. 

His works as a writer, poet, thespian, singer and songwriter have remained relevant especially to succeeding generations of UP activists in and out of the university. His bias for the poor and oppressed dates back to his campus days.

Last February 13, soldiers in San Jorge, Samar arrested him on mere suspicion that he is a member of the New People's Army. Ericson was unarmed and was in the company of a local barangay official when he was arrested without warrant. He was held for three days without charges and was subjected to continuous tactical interrogation by the military. He has been charged with illegal possession of explosives and is detained at the Calbayog sub-provincial jail. 

His rights continue to be violated each day he remains incarcerated. The fabricated charges are intended to keep him under government's control and scrutiny. His frail appearance in the photo released to media by the AFP heightens concerns for his health given the conditions in jail.

The road to genuine and lasting peace cannot be paved with the government's continued iron-fist policy of arresting its perceived enemies on mere suspicion. It behooves the Aquino government to forge favorable conditions in the conduct of its peace efforts by releasing political prisoners.

Ericson has dedicated his life to serving the people. We, his friends, colleagues, family and supporters, call on the Aquino government to effect his immediate release by dropping the trumped-up charges.

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