LET KA ROMY COME HOME! RELEASE THE 30 ACTIVISTS IN MALAYSIA!

Manila -- Members of Partido Lakas ng Masa held another picket in front of the Malaysian Embassy today. PLM protested the arrest and detention of 30 pro-democracy activisits in Malaysia, including Romy Castillo, deputy general-secretary of PLM, who was in Malaysia for an exchange visit program with the Parti Sosialis Malaysia.

The wife of Romy Castillo, Tess Castillo, spoke at the picket and pleaded with the Malaysian embassy officials to press its government to release Romy and the 30 others.

Castillo was arrested on June 25 on charges of joining a pro-democracy rally, calling for free and genuine elections. He was taken, together with several others, from a bus en route to the supposed rally site. He was released on bail.

Yesterday, Castillo was detained at the Kuala Lumpur immigration office and was not allowed to board his flight to Manila. The immigration authorities later said that they were deporting him via Malaysian airlines 840. But instead of bringing him to the plane, he was handcuffed and forcibly taken by the police to the Balai Police Sepang under IPD Sepang. The police took his passport and said they will have to verify if it is genuine. The police investigation is under Officer ASP Hairul.

PLM has already contacted the Philippine embassy in Kuala Lumpur. Consul-General Renato Villa said the embassy wil follow up Ka Romy's case. The matter has already been brought to the attention of the Commission on Human Rights and the Overseas Filipino Workers Affairs Office at the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila.

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