SC Upholds Protection Against Detention for Political Beliefs with Release of Oldest Political Prisoner

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BuCor director general Gregorio Catapang Jr. said Malacañang has commuted Dela Peña's sentence, which along with the prisoner's good conduct time allowance paved the way for the release. (KAPATID photo)

Gerardo dela Peña, said to be the country's oldest political prisoner at 85, walked out of the New Bilibid Prison a free man over the weekend, Bureau of Corrections director general Gregorio Catapang Jr. said.

The recent release of 85-year-old Gerardo dela Peña, the Philippines' oldest political prisoner, underscores the constitutional safeguard that 

"No person shall be detained solely by reason of his political beliefs and aspirations." 


Dela Peña, a farmer from Vinzons, Camarines Norte, had been incarcerated for nearly a decade before his release from the New Bilibid Prison on June 30, 2024. 


His case highlights ongoing concerns about the detention of individuals based on political affiliations.


In the 1997 Supreme Court case of People v. CASIDO, G.R. No. 116512 March 7, 1997 the Court emphasized that political beliefs should not serve as grounds for detention, reinforcing the constitutional provision.


This jurisprudence, alongside Dela Peña's release, serves as a reminder of the importance of upholding human rights and ensuring that individuals are not unjustly detained for their political convictions.



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