This week, the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 47 granted bail to three political prisoners in the Philippines: Reina Mae Nasino of KADAMAY Manila, Ram Carlo Bautista of BAYAN Manila, and Alma Moran of Manila All Workers’ Unity. The three activists, known as the Tondo 3, were arrested in November 2019 and detained on trumped-up charges of “illegal possession of firearms and a grenade”.
Reina Mae Nasino was pregnant at the time of her arrest. In July 2020, she gave birth to her daughter River, while under detention in a crowded Manila jail at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Baby River was born underweight and desperately needed her mother’s support, but soon after the two were forcibly separated by the authorities. In October 2020, River unfortunately fell ill and passed away from a respiratory syndrome. The courts only granted Nasino a 3-day furlough to attend her funeral.
Now, their families are struggling to raise funds for their bail. The courts have set Reina and Alma’s bail to ₱420,000 (CAD 10,395), while Ram’s bail is set at ₱570,000 (CAD 14,107). The National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL) are asking the courts to reduce the bail amount, while trying to raise the funds.
In solidarity, ICHRP Canada is partnering with NUPL to raise bail funds for the Tondo 3. We appeal to you to donate any amount you can through INTERAC e-transfer (please include Tondo 3 in the message) to:
ichrpcanada@gmail.com
Even a small amount – $5, $10, or $20, helps and would bring these activists closer to spending the holidays with their beloved friends and families.
For more information on these activists, you can check out their political prisoner profiles here.
News source: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1705287/activists-pass-the-hat-seek-reduced-bail-for-nasino-2-others