Philippines: Candles for Beth, candles for Justice – Friends of Beth Principe – PinoyPress

RELATED STORIES

YOU ARE HERE: Home » All Entries, Press Releases & Statements » Philippines: Candles for Beth, candles for Justice – Friends of Beth Principe

Philippines: Candles for Beth, candles for Justice – Friends of Beth Principe

PUBLISHED ON March 8, 2008 AT 8:44 AM

Today, family, friends, and former mentors of Elizabeth Principe, together with peace advocates gathered at Elizabeth’s alma mater, St. Theresa’s College in Quezon City and lit 100 candles to continue their call for her release from detention and for justice.

“Today is the one hundredth day of my mother’s captivity,” Lorena Santos said referring to Principe, a National Democratic Front of the Philippines Consultant who was abducted on November 28, 2007 at Cubao, Quezon City and surfaced by joint elements of PNP and the AFP after three days of being incommunicado.

According to Santos, the 100 candles they lit also gives significance to her father, Leo Velasco’s continued disappearance. “This is also for my father’s one year and sixteen days of disappearance,” Santos sadly stated. Her father, Leo Velasco, also an NDFP Consultant was abducted last year of February 19, 2007.

During the short program, the group reiterated their call for the release of Principe and for the military to surface Velasco.

An ICM nun, Sr. Aurora Zambrano, one of Elizabeth’s teachers in her high school days offered their support to her and the Principe family. “Beth is a gentle and loving person,” says Sr. Aurora, “Just as a true Theresian should be. She has indeed been a light to others especially to the poor. It is a shame that she has been kept detained despite what she has done for the marginalized.”

Sr. Zambrano is an 83 year old semi-retired nun who suffers from diabetes and slip disc. Despite her illness she has religiously attended Principe’s hearing for the Writ of Amparo at the Court of Appeals in Manila.

Santos says her parents are peace advocates, who are victims of the current administration’s continuing repressive measures against known militants and activists. “Such acts are no longer to be tolerated by the people who are now increasingly becoming aware of GMA’s corrupt and oppressive ways. If she cannot heed our call for the release of political prisoners, for the surfacing of the disappeared and for justice for other victims of human rights violations, then she must go!” Santos concluded. ###

IMPORTANT NOTICE: INBOX is an archive of press releases, statements, announcements, letters to the editors, and manifestos sent to PinoyPress for publication. Please email your materials to pinoypress @ gmail.com. PinoyPress is not responsible for the content of these materials. The opinion expessed in these items does not reflect those of PinoyPress and its staff. Please refer to our terms of use/disclaimer.

RSS feed • Subscribe via email • Discuss

One Response to “Philippines: Candles for Beth, candles for Justice – Friends of Beth Principe”

Marnil "jing" Rosaroso Says:
March 11th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
The TRUTH must come out. Let JOCJOC VOLANTE testify again, how,GOD will make a way. Hope that he’s still alive, im sure if he’s given the chance to testify he will tell the TRUTH for he is a ROTARIAN, Remember the Four Way Test? Those who have the access please help.

Leave a Comment (Moderated)

THE NEWS IN PICTURES

End The War. Members of the youth group Anakbayan denounce the war being waged by the government in Mindanao against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. (Photo: arkibongbayan.org)

Where Are They? Relatives, friends and colleagues of victims of enforced disappearances commemorate the International Day of the Disappeared with lighted lanterns and photographs at the Plaza Miranda and in Mendiola on Aug. 30. (Photo: arkibongbayan.org)

Free at Last. The so-called Tagaytay 5 -- Aris Sarmiento, Axel Pinpin, Riel Custodio, Michael Masayes and Rico Ybañez -- shown here inside their prison cell during their incarceration, were freed yesterday. “The dismissal of trumped-up charges and release of Tagaytay 5 is a victory for human rights,” said Ruth Cervantes, Karapatan's public information officer. (Photo: freetagaytay5.net)

Displaced. Residents of North Cotabato have been the ones badly affected by the military offensives launched against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. "As the government continues to indiscriminately drop bombs on Moro and Christian villages in Aleosan and Pikit, more and more civilians are displaced," said Kawagib, a Moro human-rights group.(Photo: Suara Bangsamoro/arkibongbayan.org)

In One Roof. Villagers who fled their homes after the clashes last week between government troops and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in the south brought every human life with them, including their farm animals. They now live under one roof at an evacuation center in Pikit, North Cotabato. (Photo: Bong Sarmiento / Philippine Human Rights Reporting Project)

Emergency. A scene from "Ambulancia," a short film that tells of a painful twist in an ambulance driver's belief that a dying patient can be saved by running over stray animals on the streets. The award-winning film will be screened at the so-called "Woodstock of short films" in Germany. Richard Legaspi directed the film and it stars Alan Paule and Nor Domingo. (Contributed photo)

Sendoff. The Philippine Army dispatched today, Aug. 10, the 68th Infantry Battalion to Maguindanao. This battalion, together with the 46th Infantry Battalion from Samar, will augment the troops in Central Mindanao for the security operations that will be conducted to ensure peaceful elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao tomorrow. (Photo: Philippine Army)

Killings Denounced. Mindanao journalists gathered in General Santos City on Friday to denounce the recent attacks on their colleagues. On Monday, Dennis Cuesta, a Radio Mindanao Network commentator in General Santos, was shot and is fighting for his life. On Thursday, another RMN broadcaster, Martin Roxas of Capiz City, was shot dead. (Photo by Barry Ohaylan/davaotoday.com)

If This Wall Could Talk. With the pleasant scenery as a backdrop (and a constant reminder, perhaps, of a life they could have had), this poor family try to survive by actually living by the sidewalk outside the Chinese school in Davao City. (Photo by Barry Ohaylan/davaotoday.com)

Undaunted. Activists from Anakbayan scuffle with the police as the Chevrolet Suburban carrying President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo passes by the junction before the newly built Bankerohan bridge in Davao City last week. The president was in the city for the declaration of the merger of Lakas-CMD and Kampi parties. (Photo by Barry Ohaylan/davaotoday.com)

Freedom Denied. Lex Adonis, a former broadcaster of Bombo Radyo in Davao City, inside the Davao Penal Colony, where he was jailed after House Speaker Prospero Nograles sued him for libel over a story involving the Davao congressman's alleged sexual relations with a woman other than his wife. Despite a court order, Adonis remains in jail. (File photo by davaotoday.com)

Tribute to Ka Bel. Activists, artists, friends and supporters troop to the Philippine Independent Church on Taft Avenue Monday night to honor AnakPawis Rep. Crispin Beltran, who died last week. Beltran will be buried in Bulacan today, after a ceremony honoring him at the House of Representatives, where he served for several terms as party-list congressman. (Photo by Ayi Muallam/pinoypress.net)

Rare Sight. Moro women students of a madrasah play volleyball during a break in barangay Ugalingan, Carmen, North Cotabato, last week. While Filipina Moros are considered relatively open in their lifestyle compared to Muslim women in other countries, scenes like this are not very common in Moro areas in Mindanao. (Photo by Keith Bacongco/AKP Images)

Ka Bel's Fight. An activist mourns the death of AnakPawis Rep. Crispin "Ka Bel" Beltran, who died Tuesday. Ka Bel's remains lie in state at the IFI Cathedral in Manila. His colleagues, family and friends have lined up a series of tributes. Click here for the schedules, as well as statements and poems honoring Ka Bel. (Photo by courtesy of arkibongbayan)