Rights group calls out kids gloves on Quiboloy

BAGUIO CITY (January 23, 2025) -- Human rights group Karapatan called out the Bureau of Management and Penology (BJMP) who rushed detained religious cult leader Apollo Quiboloy to the Rizal Medical Center for pneumonia, while “it dragged its feet when it came to other persons deprived of liberty (PDL) from the poor communities and those facing political persecution”.

Cristina Palabay, chairperson Karapatan blurted out against the BJMP, she claimed, “dilly-dallied in bringing political prisoner Ernesto Jude Rimando to hospital, preferring to wait until Rimando was on the brink of death”.  Rimando, who was eventually brought to the Philippine General Hospital after the issuance of a long-delayed court order, succumbed to liver cancer after three months, Palabay claimed.

Karapatan also cited a more recent case, that of Rosita Taboy, who, at 80, is now the eldest political prisoner, had to endure a long wait for a court order before she could have a breast lump examined. 

Palabay decried, “even after the issuance of the court order, it took some time before officials at the Bulacan Provincial Jail actually brought Taboy for her much-needed check-up.” Taboy, according to Karapatan, is also diabetic, has exhibited early signs of dementia, has difficulty walking unaided, and is obviously not a flight risk.

Her husband, Antonio Legaspi, was kept in solitary confinement at the San Jose del Monte Male Dorm despite his age and physical condition, Palabay continued.  Deprived of sunning, physical exercise and socialization, the 74 year old Legaspi was found dead in his cell on April 19, 2024, Palabay detailed.

“The Marcos Jr. regime bends over backwards in accommodating the likes of Quiboloy but could not care less what happens to ailing and elderly political prisoners, who do not deserve to spend a single minute in jail,” Palabay said in frustration.

Palabay reminded the Marcos Jr. administration and its jail and prison officials “to uphold the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, otherwise known as the Mandela Rules, which call for prompt medical attention in urgent cases.