The country’s oldest political prisoner has been released by authorities after reaching the age of 85 and serving 12 years on a 2014 murder conviction.

Progressive lawmakers described the release of Gerardo de la Peña as a ‘humanitarian victory’ as they pushed for the passage of House Bill No. 5995 or the Antonio Molina Recognizance Bill.

House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. France Castro lauded the freedom granted De la Peña whose declining health was also considered by government in releasing him from prison.

Joining her in welcoming the development is Bayan Muna executive vice president Carlos Isagani Zarate.

"We are relieved that after over a decade of imprisonment, 85-year-old Gerardo dela Peña has finally been released. This is a humanitarian victory, considering his declining health and advanced age," Rep. Castro stated. "However, his case highlights the urgent need for systemic reforms in our justice system, particularly for elderly and ailing detainees."

Originally sentenced to serve 20 to 40 years in prison, De la Peña served only 12 years after winning a commutation. He was convicted of murder in 2014.

The Bureau of Pardons and Parole said the drastically reduced prison time was also on account of the deduction of good conduct time allowance to the original prison term..

Zarate emphasized the importance of the Antonio Molina Recognizance Bill, which Bayan Muna originally filed in the 18th Congress.

"This bill seeks to include fragile health and advanced age as grounds for release on recognizance. Had this been in place, it could have prevented situations like that of Antonio Molina, who, unlike Dela Peña, tragically died in detention despite his terminal illness," Zarate explained.

Molina, an elderly peasant political prisoner in Palawan, was diagnosed with stage 4 abdominal cancer in March, 2018 while still in detention and died of cardiac arrest in November 18 of the same year.

"The proposed legislation aims to make the constitutional right to bail or release on recognizance more accessible, especially for vulnerable detainees like the elderly and those with serious health conditions," Zarate said.

"We call on lawmakers to prioritize the passage of HB 5995. This is not just about decongesting our overcrowded prisons, but more importantly, about upholding human dignity and justice," Rep. Castro added.

Both Castro and Zarate urged President Marcos to expedite the approval of clemency petitions for other elderly and ailing political prisoners, emphasizing that such actions align with the administration's stated goals of decongesting prison facilities and promoting justice.

"The release of Gerardo dela Peña is a welcome development but still much work to be done. We must ensure that our justice system treats all individuals, regardless of their economic or political status, with fairness and compassion," Castro concluded.