Six political prisoners walked free on September 22 after more than seven years in detention when the Dumaguete Regional Trial Court Branch 42 acquitted them for the case of illegal possession of firearms. The six, dubbed the Mabinay 6, were arrested on March 3, 2018, in Barangay Luyang, Mabinay, Negros Oriental by the 62nd IB, who falsely claimed they were members of the New People’s Army they had encountered.
The Mabinay 6 are Myles Albasin, Randel Hermino, Carlo Ybañes, Joemar Indico, Joey Vailoces, and Bernard Guillen. Albasin graduated from the University of the Philippines (UP)-Cebu and served as Anakbayan UP Cebu chairperson during her time at the university. Her companions were peasant and urban poor organizers.
The court acquitted the six for insufficient evidence required for conviction. The court noted the numerous loophooles in the alleged evidence of firearms and explosives supposedly confiscated from the victims.
The prosecution relied solely on soldier witnesses’ testimonies as “proof” against the Mabinay 6, the lawyers said. State forces often use this tactic when filing fabricated and multiple charges to prolong the detention of activists and organizers.
La Viña Zarate & Associates (LVZ Law) and the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) Cebu represented the Mabinay 6 in court and in legal proceedings. “From the very beginning, we maintained that the charges against [them] were baseless. This decision affirms that the evidence presented did not support the claims of the prosecution,” LVZ Law’s Atty. Karlos Zarate said.
Karapatan-Central Visayas (CV) also expressed support for the Mabinay 6’s acquittal. The group said that while they considered it a moment of relief and truth, it is not yet a “total victory.”
According to Karapatan-CV, many political prisoners remain detained, like the Mabinay 6, long held on fabricated charges aimed merely to silence and stop them from continuing their struggle. The group added that just compensation is also a necessary and vital part of justice.
“The years stolen from these six individuals cannot be returned, but they must be acknowledged. The wrongs committed against them must be rectified, and those responsible held accountable,” said Karapatan-CV.
For the group, the release of the six young organizers demonstrates the need to continue the struggle to free all political prisoners in the country. On Negros island, at least 110 political prisoners remain in detention, while the number exceeds 700 across the country.
