Former political prisoners and Indigenous Peoples rights defenders file position paper against PNP officials; call out Marcos Jr. for perpetuating impunity

November 14, 2025

QUEZON CITY — “Habang kinakasuhan at ikinukulong ang mga aktibista at tagapagtanggol ng karapatan, ang tunay na may sala, ang mga tiwali at abusadong opisyal ng gobyerno ay malayang nakakalusot. Ito ang anyo ng impunity na paulit-ulit nating tinutunggali,” said Beverly Longid, National Convener of Katribu, as former political prisoners Julieta Gomez and Niezel Velasco filed their position paper in countercharges against Philippine National Police (PNP) officials at the Office of the Ombudsman on Friday, November 14.

Gomez, a Manobo woman, and Velasco, an Indigenous Peoples’ rights defender, were illegally arrested on July 16, 2021 in a joint military and police operation and detained for nearly four years on fabricated charges of murder, attempted murder, and illegal possession of firearms and explosives. The court acquitted them on April 8, 2025, dismissing all charges for lack of evidence.

Their countercharges, initially lodged last August 11, 2025, seek to hold accountable the PNP officials responsible for their illegal arrest and detention. The charges include violations of Articles 180 (False Testimony against a Defendant), 183 (False Testimony in other cases and perjury in solemn affirmation), and 269 (Unlawful Arrest) of the Revised Penal Code, and Section 38 of RA 10591 (Liability for Planting Evidence) and Section 4-A of PD 1866 as amended by RA 9516.

For Gomez, this case is part of a wider fight. “Ang aming pagkakakulong ay bahagi ng mas malawak na sistema ng panunupil laban sa mga nagsasalita ng katotohanan, kaya patuloy kaming maninindigan para sa hustisya at pananagutan.”

Velasco stressed that accountability must be demanded from the state itself. “Sa pagsasampa namin ng mga kasong ito, aming nirerehistro na ang dapat managot ay ang estado, kasama ang mga ahente at institusyon nito, na lumalabag sa aming karapatan, hindi ang mamamayang lumalaban.”

Indigenous Peoples and human rights organizations, including Sandugo and Katribu, held a solidarity picket outside the Ombudsman to support Gomez and Velasco and demand justice for all victims of political persecution.

The groups said that the Marcos Jr. administration’s refusal to punish corrupt and abusive officials allows impunity to persist. “Hangga’t hindi napapanagot ang mga responsable sa iligal na pag-aresto, red-tagging, at korapsyon, hindi magkakaroon ng tunay na hustisya sa bansang ito. Dapat singilin at panagutin si Bongbong Marcos bilang naghahari-harian sa sistemang kinikriminalisa ang aktibismo habang pinoprotektahan ang katiwalian.”

The filing marks another step in the long struggle for justice of political prisoners and human rights defenders who continue to face criminalization for their advocacy and defense of Indigenous Peoples’ rights.

Reference: Beverly Longid, Katribu National Convener

Katribu Public Information Desk, information@katribu.net, +63 969 024 4465