Show my father, captured rebel’s kin ask Isafp

Relatives of arrested suspected communist rebel Iglecerio “Ka Choy" Pernia appealed to the Armed Forces of the Philippines to surface him and respect his right to due process. In a statement on the Kilusan Web site relatives of Pernia refused to believe the AFP’s denial of having Pernia in its custody at Camp Aguinaldo. “Why are they hiding Papa from us?" said a frustrated Roberto, son of Pernia who failed to see his father as officials of the Intelligence Service Group of the AFP (Isafp) refused to confirm where the suspected communist rebel was being detained. The younger Pernia and other relatives went all the way from Bicol to visit his detained father, after Bicol PNP spokesman Senior Supt. Eliciar Bron told media he was brought to Isafp headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo. “I’m hoping against hope that they will surface Papa unscathed, given the military’s notoriety in torturing their captives," he added. Pernia also lamented how the AFP maligned his father. He noted that the AFP described the elder Pernia as a “gambler and extortionist." “They pictured him in bad light, when it was them who violated the laws and my father’s rights as a detained person," said the younger Pernia. In another development, Karapatan deputy secretary general Jigs Clamor general lambasted the AFP for intentionally hiding Pernia from his family. “Aside from the brazen extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances carried out by the AFP, they have time and again violated the rights of arrested persons," Clamor said. He cited the case of NDF consultant Elizabeth Principe whom the AFP also denied having in custody, but had actually detained incommunicado from Nov. 28 until she was presented to the media on December 1. - GMANews.TV