Ailing Gabriela leader nabbed in Agusan del Norte
MALAYBALAY CITY (MindaNews / 1 September) — A longtime women’s rights activist was arrested Tuesday in Agusan del Norte, women’s advocacy group Gabriela said in a statement Wednesday.
Gabriela said Atheliana “Atel” Hijos, 76, was arrested in Barangay Kinabjangan, Nasipit, Agusan del Norte on allegations that she participated in armed encounters.
The statement said Hijos was arrested for cases of murder, kidnapping and serious illegal detention by elements of the Regional Intelligence Division of the Philippine National Police.
In a separate statement, human rights group Karapatan called the charges against Hijos, secretary general of Gabriela Caraga, “a blatant lie considering Atel’s senior age and frail physical condition.”
“In one of the charges leveled against her, she has submitted sound and reasonable proof that she was attending election-related activities at the time of the alleged incident of armed encounter by soldiers and New People’s Army rebels,” the group said.
It added the military has subjected Hijos to red-tagging through posters and fliers bearing her name and picture distributed in public places in Caraga.
“Atel has pulmonary tuberculosis and hypertension, and she had a mild stroke. She has been bedridden, and she has difficulties walking, at times using a wheelchair. How can an elderly and elderly woman, with such frail built like Atel’s, possibly commit all the crimes alleged against her?” Karapatan said.
Hijos, a former public school teacher, has been a women’s rights activist since the martial law regime of Ferdinand Marcos, it added. (MindaNews)
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