Arts groups demand release of cultural worker detained in Mindoro

CALAPAN CITY — The Mindoro Artists Initiative (MAI) has added its voice to demands for the release of Charlize "Ceeka" Garzon, a cultural worker held in custody for the past six months. Garzon was arrested following an armed encounter between government troops and suspected New People's Army (NPA) combatants in San Jose town, Occidental Mindoro. The circumstances surrounding her detention and the allegations against her remain contentious, with advocates questioning the basis for her continued incarceration. MAI's appeal underscores growing concern within the arts community over Garzon's case and conditions of her detention. The organization's intervention reflects broader calls from civil society groups seeking clarification on charges and urging authorities to either formally prosecute or release the detainee. Garzon's case has drawn attention from cultural and human rights advocates who maintain her arrest was linked to her activism and artistic work rather than direct involvement in armed conflict.