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Beltran walks out of hospital, regains freedom after 15 mos


Lawmaker and staunch labor leader Crispin Beltran walked out of the Philippine Heart Center in Quezon City on Tuesday night, and finally regained freedom after enduring more than 15 months of hospital arrest since March 2, 2006. The 74-year-old Anakpawis party-list representative was earlier cleared of rebellion charges by the Supreme Court. Scores of supporters cheered Beltran's release, radio dzBB reported at about 9:13 p.m. He was charged with sedition and rebellion on February 27, 2006 by the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, along with party-list lawmakers Satur Ocampo, Teodoro Casiño, and Joel Virador of Bayan Muna, Rafael Mariano of Anakpawis and Liza Maza of Gabriela. Wearing a red hat and a red shirt, Beltran, former chairman of the Kilusang Mayo Uno, thanked all those who worked for his freedom and vowed to fight against human rights abuse, which he said could worsen with the implementation of the anti-terror law. "Ako ay nagpapasalamat sa Supreme Court at sa aking mga abogado...mga supporters at lahat ng mga taong nagmamahal sa hustisya at demokrasya sa ating bayan (I thank the Supreme Court, my lawyers and supporters, and all the people devoted to justice and democracy for our country)." Beltran's staff said he was given a pass to leave the hospital after Ocampo and Maza haggled with Heart Center administration to give the detained lawmaker a pass with the submission of a promissory note. The lawmaker owes the Heart Center P133,564.70, the remaining amount after a number of senators arranged for "discretionary discounts" with the hospital. Beltran, with his family and supporters, proceeded to Anakpawis headquarters in Project 3, Quezon City, after he was discharged from the hospital. Denied In a one-page resolution dated July 2, the Supreme Court's second division said the Solicitor General failed to convince magistrates that charges against Beltran and the other party-list lawmakers should prosper. "The Court resolves to deny the motion with finality, the basic issues raised therein having been duly considered and passed upon by the Court in the aforesaid decision and no substantial argument having been adduced to warrant the reconsideration sought," the SC said. The decision also read that the high bench also "notes" the urgent motion for the immediate release of Beltran, which was filed last June 5. The executive branch, through Solicitor General Agnes Devanadera had earlier said the Justice department was "saddened and apprehensive" that the Batasan 6 were cleared, saying it "trampled upon" the principles of criminal law and procedure. "Time-honored and well-established principles on criminal law and procedure were seemingly trampled upon. Thus, the Department of Justice, through the Solicitor General, feels constrained to move for a reconsideration of the Supreme Court ruling if only to preserve the stability of our criminal justice system," she said. Nabbed Beltran was arrested on February 25 last year, a day after President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo declared a state of national emergency following a failed uprising against her government. He was nabbed on charges of rebellion, with authorities enforcing an arrest warrant issued in 1982. That rebellion case, stemming from protest actions over the Bataan Export Processing Zone, was dismissed in 1986. The lawmaker underwent inquest proceedings also on Feb. 25, 2006, this time on inciting to sedition charges. He was accused of delivering a speech before militant groups on the 20th anniversary of the EDSA Revolution at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani. Two days later, Beltran went through another inquest but in relation with the botched coup. It was this case that the Supreme Court second division ordered the Makati RTC to dismiss. - GMANews.TV

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