By Chito Chavez

Demonstrators mostly from human rights group Hustisya staged a rally in front of the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Tuesday to call for the acquittal of trade union activist Marklen Maojo Maga.

On June 3, Maga is set to face judgment on charges of illegal possession of firearms.

Maga was arrested on the morning of February 22, 2018, while playing basketball in their neighborhood in San Mateo, Rizal.

He just came back from sending his son to school that morning when police authorities arrested him and allegedly found a .45 caliber gun in his bag.

“They took a photo of the bag, marked it as evidence, but there was no photo of the gun. The firearm and ammunition allegedly in his possession were already in Camp Crame where he was first brought to and interrogated,’’ Hustisya said.

In the picket protest, Hustisya chairperson Evangeline Hernandez said that the courts should see the injustice against Maga, from his arrest up to his detention for more than a year.

”We plead to the courts to free Maga, and let him be reunited with his son. We wish that they put an end to this madness of planting evidence to enable the filing of trumped-up charges against activists and ordinary persons,” said Hernandez.

“How are we supposed to believe that Maga is carrying a gun that morning? Playing basketball was his usual morning routine after sending his son to school. It is downright absurd for Maga to carry a gun to his son’s school, then in the community where he is a known resident,” said added.

SELDA ((Samahan ng Ex-Detainees Laban sa Detensyon at Aresto) also called for the dismissal of trumped-up charges of murder against Maga, filed in Agusan Del Norte where he has never gone to.

Maga is currently detained at the Metro Manila District Jail in Camp Bagong Diwa, Bicutan, Taguig City.

Since his arrest, Maga has only seen his nine-year-old son through jail visits.

“Maga should be freed for his son, who has to travel with his mother all the way from Rizal to Taguig City to see his father. His son’s only wish is our wish, too, that his father be released from prison, so that he may send him to school again as classes begin next week,” said Hernandez.

Both groups also reiterated the call to release the 532 political prisoners currently detained under the Duterte government.