Members of the urban poor group Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay) who forcibly occupied a contested lot in Quezon City have been released from their detention at the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) in Camp Karingal.
Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar, QCPD director, said they received Wednesday night the release order from the Quezon City Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 38 for the 40 members of the Kadamay-affiliated Apollo Neighborhood Association.
They were earlier arrested for re-occupying a private lot at No. 14 Apollo St. in Tandang Sora.
The QCPD chief believed that National Anti-Poverty Commission chair Liza Masa, Gabriela Rep. Emmy de Jesus, Bayan Muna Secretary-General Renato Reyes, and several organizations may have pooled for the P320,000 bail for all the detainees.
Eleazar said the P14,000 bail recommended was reduced to half due to a motion filed by a group of lawyers who cited the inability of the arrested members to pay for their dues.
Granted by the court, they posted a cash bail of R7,000 each for charges of grave coercion and other forms of trespass. (Vanne Elaine P. Terrazola)