Political prisoner org spox denies being involved with the NPA

By Taj Lagulao

In a recent bout of red-tagging amid the pandemic, political prisoner support organization Kapatid spokesperson Fides Lim dismissed the comments of the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) branding her as a member of the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army – National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF).

“I was very surprised and angry to read my name in the Comment of the OSG and identified as a ‘known CPP-NPA-NDF leader’ in a paragraph relating to my husband, Vicente Ladlad, one of the petitioners. The inclusion of my name is malicious and vicious and endangers my life and security. I am neither a leader nor member of the ‘CPP-NPA-NDF’ nor even a prominent fixture of any opposition movement,” Lim said.

Previously, 22 inmates appealed to the Supreme Court calling for the temporary release of inmates amid the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically for those whose health was compromised either through sickness or old age (READ: Families, civic groups appeal to expand guidelines on PDLs release https://bit.ly/2x4Hl0u).

However, this was opposed by the Office of the Solicitor General, who responded by accusing the petitioners as “valuable members” of the CPP-NPA-NDF.

“I believe in taking up nationalist and human rights causes because I love my country but does that set one up for an attack as a communist?” she said.

Lim added that the red-tagging was done as revenge for her actions in previous years.

“Since the OSG’s inclusion of my good name appears deliberate, it could only be because of my active defense of my husband Vic when he was arrested on November 8, 2018 on manufactured charges for planted firearms and explosives and to get back at me and harass me just because of my efforts to re-establish the martial law organization of KAPATID to serve as a voice for families of political prisoners who need all the help they can get in perilous times like this,” Lim explained.

Lim demanded that for the OSG to correct their error, threatening legal action.

“The OSG Comment is not privileged nor protected legal communication. Therefore, the malicious reference to sully my name is legally actionable against all those who signed the Comment who stand to be culpable and accountable in a court of law and other fora,” she said.

Vicente Ladlad, one of the petitioners and Lim’s husband, is 71 years old and diagnosed with Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

“I want him back with me in the same way that I assert that equally vulnerable political prisoners and other prisoners should be released into the care of their worried families.” [P]

Photo from Karapatan’s Twitter page