- The famous writer, researcher and anti-globalization activist from the Philippines, Walden Bello, was arrested on 8 August, and on 9 August he was provisionally expelled from prison. Bello is, among others, Executive Director of the Non-Governmental Organization Focus on the Global South.
A 76-year-old activist was arrested on the night of 8 August. Since 2021, he has witnessed the attempted arrest of the Philippine Government itself. In fact, Walden Bello has participated in recent years in the electoral attempt to overcome the government now in the Republic of the Philippines.
The president, Rodrigo Duterte, has taken his place as the son of dictator Ferdinad Marcos, Ferdinad Bongbong Marcos. In addition, the vice-president is Sara Duterte, Dutert's daughter.
A few years ago we started publishing in ARGIA around Bello: In 2006 he spoke about the king of Thailand, in 2010 about colonialist China, and in 2012 we also published what was said in the interview given to Human Journalism.
Also, Aplaneta, who defends the well-being of the planet, has ended the persecution against Bello and has called for her complete freedom, including organisations such as Via Campesina, and have issued on its website a statement by the NGO Focus on the Global Sout.
Focus on the Global South summarizes the case. We have translated into Basque what they have explained:
On November 6, 2021, the Philippine anti-drug agency (PDEA) carried out an anti-drug raid in the province of Davao de Oro. Some detainees in the raid reported that Jefry Tupas was among the detainees, but allowed him to leave. The PDEA has not provided any information on this.
On November 9, 2021, in a note posted on the Facebook page of the government of the city of Davao, Sara Duterte, mayor of the time, said that Tupas was "an old official information of the city that was involved in a drug raid" and stated that Tupas signed his resignation and that at the same time was informed that he was dismissed from the work carried out with the government of the city.
On 7 March 2022, Tupas filed a lawsuit of 10 million pesos (176,000 euros) against Bello for his election campaign statements.
On March 20, 2022, Bello participated as a candidate for the 2022 National Elections in the Philippines in the debates of the TV vice-presidency, where he questioned the release of Tupas, despite the alleged participation in the drug trade in Davao, November 2021.
On April 20, 2022, Bello presented a counter-statement on the cyberlibelo case.
On 8 August 2022, detention was ordered in Davao around lunchtime, where the case was filed and was indicted by Dr. Bello, and transferred by email to the Quezon City Police District (QCPD).
The order was notified a few minutes after 16:00 and was detained at her headquarters in Bello Quezon City. Less than an hour of official closure of government offices, Dr. Bello’s legal team was unable to pay the bond, despite having the money from the bond.
He was then taken to Bello Quezon City, Commissioner 8, but later he was taken to Camp Karingal and arrested in the Quezon City Police District (QCPD).
On 9 August 2022, after bureaucratic delays in paying the bond and issuing the release order, Bello was provisionally released around 17:30 in the afternoon.
Walden Bello has started her final release campaign and the request can be signed on the following Google form.