Labor leader and former presidential candidate Leody De Guzman on Monday denounced the arrest of his former running mate, Walden Bello, calling it an act of political repression.
"Hindi kailanman magiging makatwiran ang kasong cyberlibel laban kay Walden Bello dahil malinaw na ang motibasyon sa likuran nito ay pampulitikang panunupil," De Guzman said in a statement.
"Panunupil laban sa kritiko, pati na rin sa lahat ng kritikal sa kanilang administrasyon," he added.
Labor leader at dating presidential candidate na si Ka Leody De Guzman, binisita ang katandem sa nagdaang eleksyon bilang bise presidente na si Walden Bello sa Camp Karingal matapos arestuhin sa bisa ng warrant of arrest dahil sa cyber libel | @dzrhnews
— Christian Maño (@xtian_mano) August 8, 2022
📸: @LeodyManggagawa pic.twitter.com/0ryNnqy3sn
He then called on the Department of Justice (DOJ) to intervene and revoke the warrant of arrest against Bello. He also urged lawmakers to decriminalize libel.
"Anumang pakana ng administrasyon ay mabibigo. Nanawagan ako sa DoJ na ipawalang bisa ang arrest warrant kay Walden at sa ating mga mambabatas, isabatas ang pagdedekriminalisa sa libel," he said.
On Monday, the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) arrested Bello for two cases: libel and cyber libel.
In a report by DZRH’s Val Gonzales, QCPD has arrested Bello in his house in Quezon City, following a court order from Davao City RTC Branch 10. The case was filed by former Davao City Information Office Jerry Tupas.
Tupas is suing Bello for his Facebook post dated March 1, which allegedly claimed that Tupas is among the arrested officials at a beach party in Davao de Oro on Nov. 6 last year, where 5 million worth of illegal drugs were confiscated.
