Resolve plea for protection writ, NUPL asks SC

Citing continuous red-tagging and threats to its members, the National Union of People's Lawyers (NUPL) on Friday asked the Supreme Court to "urgently" resolve their pending petition seeking protection.

In a 19-page petition, the NUPL said it has recorded 81 incidents of attacks against 43 member-lawyers since it first filed its petition for writ of amparo and habeas data in April 2019.

Of the 43 NUPL lawyers who had been at the receiving end of attacks, the NUPL said two were killed in 2021, namely:

• NUPL founding member Rex Jesus Mario Fernandez, who was shot while on his way home in August 2021;
• NUPL member-lawyer Juan Macababad, who was killed in September 2021

The NUPL also said that on March 3, 2021, in Iloilo City, its assistant vice president for Visayas, Angelo Karlo Guillen, was stabbed by two unidentified men while on his way home.

Guillen, who was robbed of his court files at the time of the attack, survived the incident despite sustaining multiple stab wounds.

The petition also mentioned NUPL members who the group said were put under surveillance by the military and the police, linked to communist rebels, and subjected to harassment.

It also mentioned that the group was once labeled by spokespersons of the government anti-insurgency task force as "legal operator" of the Communist Party of the Philippines and counsel for New People's Army rebels.

"Wherefore, premises considered, the petitioners respectfully pray that this manifestation be duly noted, and that the petition for review be urgently resolved, reversing and setting aside the Decision of the Court of Appeals (CA) dated July 26, 2019, and a new Decision be issued granting the privilege of the writ of amparo and habeas data to petitioners," the NUPL said.

"To reiterate, as an equitable relief, petitioners pray that respondents be ordered to cease and desist from red tagging and vilifying Petitioners," it added.

In April 2019, the NUPL sought help from the SC regarding alleged threats committed by the respondents, among them ranking government security officials, including then-President Rodrigo Duterte.

In response, the Supreme Court ordered the CA to hear the writ of amparo and habeas data petition filed by NUPL.

The CA, however, denied the petition in a July 2019 resolution, prompting the NUPL to seek relief before the high court by filing a petition for review of the CA decision.

In its latest plea, the NUPL said its petition "is now ripe for resolution."

"Your officers of the court are respectfully seeking succor before we, as endangered species, become extinct," the NUPL said. —KBK, GMA News