Anakpawis Party-List
From the Office of Rep. Crispin Beltran
He can be contacted via his cellphone number 09278711080,
or through his phone line in the Philippine Heart Center, 925-2401 loc 2432
http://masanganakpawis.blogs.friendster.com/my_blog/
Ina Alleco R. Silverio, chief of staff 931.6615, 09195065269

News Release Wednesday , April 18, 2007

Beltran's wife represents him in first-day meeting with officials of IPU; calls GMA 'Babaeng Marcos'

The 64-year old wife detained lawmaker Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran today welcomed the Inter-Parliamentary Union's Human Rights Committee officials as they arrived in the country to conduct a fact-finding mission into the continuing attacks against progressive lawmakers of Anakpawis, Bayan Muna and Gabriela Women's Party.

Mrs. Rosario Soto-Beltran, with daughter Ofelia Balleta participated in the first-day dialogues with the IPU's officials Canadian senator Sharon Carstairs, IPU secretary general Anders Johnson, and Ingeborg Schwarz, the IPU human rights committee secretary at the Hotel Sofitel, formerly Westin Philippine Plaza Hotel in the CCP Complex in Pasay. She was there to represent her husband Rep. Beltran who remains incarcerated in his hospital room at the Philippine Heart Center.

"Isang malaking bagay para sa akin bilang asawa ni Rep. Beltran na makakuha ng suporta mula sa institusyon gaya ng IPU," she said. "Patunay lang ito na ang kaso ng asawa ko ay umabot na kaalaman ng pinaka-malaking bilang ng mga kapwa niya mambabatas sa buong mundo. Sana makatulong ang IPU upang kumbinsihin ang gobyerno ni Pangulong Arroyo na pawalan na si Rep. Beltran dahil wala siyang kasalanan, at dahil seryosong paglabag sa kanyang karapatang pantao at sibil ang ginawang pag-aresto sa kanya at ang kanyang pagkakakulong nitong huling 14 na buwan."

Mrs. Beltran told senators Carstairs and Green that she hopes that the IPU would continue to take interest in Rep. Beltran's case and exert all diplomatic efforts to push for his release and the withdrawal, dismissal of all charges against him.

"Sa bahagi ni Rep. Beltran, hinihiling ko sa IPU na huwag bitiwan ang kaso ni Rep. Beltran. Bilang isnag halal na kongresista sa ilalim ng party-list system, hindi hamak na mas maraming boto ang naglagay sa kanya sa pusisyon sa kumpara sa ibang kongresista na kumakatawan sa mga distrito. Ang ginawang pag-aresto kay Rep. Beltran at ang patuloy na pagkulong sa kanya ay labag sa napakaraming batas, bukod pa sa pagiging hindi makatao. May edad na ang asawa ko, 74 na taong gulang na siya at may mga dinadanas na karamdaman. Bukod sa pagiging inosente, matanda na si Rep. Beltran at hindi dapat nilalagay sa ganitong klase ng sitwasyon."

Mrs. Beltran said that she found no difference between the tactics employed by the Marcos dictatorship when it had her husband arrested In 1982, 25 years ago, and that used by the Macapagal-Arroyo government when it arrested him last year, February 25. According to her, in both cases the government used false testimonies and fabricated false evidence.

"Modelo talaga ng gobyernong Arroyo ang gobyernong Marcos. Si Gloria ay babaeng Marcos," she said.

On her part, Beltran's daughter and political affairs officer Ofelia Balleta extended the gratitude of their entire family as well the gratitude of Anakpawis Party-List to the IPU.

"We look forward to Sen. Carstairs, Mr. Johnson and IPU HR Committee Sec. Shwarz' visit to Rep. Beltran on the 20th. Ka Bel himself is also eager to meet with the IPU representatives so he might be able to give his personal thanks as well as explain the details of the charges against him as well as the circumstances that surrounded his arrest."

The IPU officials are scheduled to visit Beltran at the PHC on Friday, April 20 at 2pm. #
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Anakpawis Partylist http://www.anakpawis.tk

► IPU mission ends probe of Batasan 6 persecution

► Beltran's wife represents him in first-day meeting with officials of IPU; calls GMA 'Babaeng Marcos'

► IPU visit shows concern over RP rights record -- Bayan Muna

► Gabriela solon to IPU: "We are being harassed"

► US solon asks Arroyo to free Anakpawis’ Beltran

► Letter of US solon to GMA for the release of Beltran