Pulacan, Labangan, Zamboanga del Sur – By virtue of the Writ of Amparo, Judge Renerio Abraham Ramas of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 18, Pagadian City has ordered the release of Rowel E. Moñasque aka Elias, Deputy Secretary of Front Committee (FC) “KARA” of the Western Mindanao Regional Party Committee of the Communist Party of the Philippines/New Peoples Army/National Democratic Front (CPP/NPA/NDF) on November 7, 2007. (read article here) and (here) .

The allegation of torture contained in the petition of Mechelle Moñasque Saquin for the issuance of the Writ of Amparo and KARAPATAN’s press releases are bereft of the truth and have not been substantiated in court. No other than Rowel Moñasque himself stated during his interview with local ABS-CBN TV Patrol Pagadian minutes before his presentation to the court that he was treated well by the 1st Infantry (TABAK) Division, (1ID) Philippine Army.

{sidebar id=8}The 1ID does not tolerate wrongdoings or the misconduct of its soldier as it adheres to the Law of Armed Conflict and International Humanitarian Law. In fact, Rowel Moñasque himself requested to be in the custody of 1ID. While there the wounds he suffered during an encounter with our troops on October 19, 2007 at Barangay Lucuan, Lakewood, Zamboanga del Sur were treated at the TABAK Station Hospital. He was even visited by the representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross last October 25, 2007.

The 1ID has complied with the order of the court to release Rowel Moñasque. This, however will not be an obstacle to the soldiers’ performance of duty. We shall not put our guard down and allow the CPP-NPA/NDF to attempt and take advantage and manipulate the system that they do not recognized and only use as their tool to achieve their objective.