MANILA, 16 May 2006 — An association of international parliamentarians passed a resolution urging the Philippine government to release Rep. Crispin Beltran from police custody, Senate President Franklin Drilon said in an interview yesterday.
Drilon, who has just returned from the 114th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) summit in Nairobi, Kenya, said the IPU governing council urged the Philippine government to release Beltran on bail.
“The governing council of IPU passed a resolution calling our government to release Ka Bel through bail,” Drilon said in a radio interview.
He said the IPU released the resolution after five Philippine congressmen filed a petition before the Committee on Human Rights of Parliamentarians. Beltran was initially detained at the Philippine National Police headquarters after President Arroyo declared a state of national on Feb. 24. He was later transferred to Philippine Heart Center due to a heart ailment.
