Gerardo dela Peña, country's oldest political prisoner, released on Palace order

Gerardo dela Peña, said to be the country's oldest political prisoner at 85, walked out of the New Bilibid Prison a free man over the weekend, Bureau of Corrections director general Gregorio Catapang Jr. said.

Catapang said Malacañang has commuted Dela Peña's sentence, which along with the prisoner's good conduct time allowance paved the way for the release.

The director general said the elderly person deprived of liberty was fetched by his son on Sunday night.

"They went straight to their home in Camarines Sur," Catapang told GMA News Online.

The order signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin commuted Dela Peña's sentence to a definite 12 years.

Dela Peña's GCTA credits of 11 months and 15 days pushed his time already served to more than 12 years.

The political prisoners' support group Kapatid welcomed Dela Peña's release.

"We are very happy that Tatay Gerry can finally return home to his family and reunite with his wife Pilar in their twilight years. His release is a milestone for human rights campaigns, but also serves as a stark reminder of the obstacles that impede the release of political prisoners," Fides Lim said.

"Tatay Gerry's journey to freedom was very difficult because of systemic challenges and bureaucratic delays,” she added.

Dela Peña was a former head of the Camarines Norte chapter of the Samahan ng Ex-Detainees Laban sa Detensyon at Aresto (SELDA), a survivors’ group of those who were detained during the Martial Law regime of the late President Ferdinand Marcos, Sr.

Dela Peña was arrested on March 21, 2013 and convicted for murder when he was 75 years old.

Kapatid said dela Peña was convicted despite evidence supporting his innocence and the admission of responsibility by the New People's Army. —NB, GMA Integrated News