‘Morong 43’ files human rights complaint vs AFP

The "Morong 43," the group of health workers suspected to be communist rebels, on Thursday filed before the Commission on Human Rights a complaint against the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for group's members' continued detention at a military facility. Through their lawyers from the Public Interest Law Center and the National Union of Peoples Lawyers, the arrested health workers included in their complaints 43 affidavits detailing the manner by which the military arrested, detained, interrogated and allegedly tortured them. The complainants also included medical records from doctors who examined them, to prove their claims that they were tortured. Earlier, upon requests from relatives of the "Morong 43," the Supreme Court issued a writ of habeas corpus, requiring the military to present the health workers before the Court of Appeals and justify their continued detention at Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal. "The human rights complaint is very important because it seeks to hold accountable the Armed Forces of the Philippines especially the 2nd Infantry Division, the 202nd Infantry Brigade and the police authorities who conducted the illegal arrest," said Renato Reyes, secretary general of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan). "The complaint shows the proof that torture and ill-treatment were indeed committed against the 43 health workers inside Camp Capinpin. Some of the ill-treatment continues even today," he added. Lawyer Evalyn Ursua, one of the people allowed to talk to the detainees, earlier told GMANews.TV that female members of the "Morong 43" were subjected to sexual threats by the military. "Accounts reveal that they are being subjected to sexual threats and physical touching of a sexual nature during interrogations," said Ursua, who is most famous for her role as the legal counsel of rape victim Suzette Nicolas or "Nicole." Thorough investigation Bayan said it was hoping the complaint would prompt the CHR to conduct a thorough investigation of the alleged torture. "It is important that the findings of torture and abuses be put on record and those responsible be made accountable, whether in local or international courts," Reyes said. Bayan accused the military of violating the newly signed Republic Act 9745 or the Anti-Torture Law. Quoting the Morong 43, Bayan said the health workers suffered physical and psychological torture that included: * blindfolding, * handcuffing the detainees for 36 hours, * manhandling, * death threats, * prolonged interrogation, * sleep deprivation, * denial of legal counsel, * denial of medical treatment, * incommunicado detention and solitary confinement. The 43 detainees were also made to suffer the indignity of having other people remove their pants and underwear before they could urinate, the group added. Bayan said it was hoping its complaint would have a "bearing on the promotions" of the officers involved in the torture and illegal arrests of the 43. Maj. Gen. Jorge Segovia of the 2nd ID and Col. Aurelio Baladad of the 202nd Infantry Battalion will also be answerable due to their command responsibility over the people who allegedly subjected the health workers under torture. Military authorities, on the other hand, has repeatedly dismissed the allegations against them as mere propaganda. "The military is not foolish to do such things seeing as maraming matang nakatingin (many eyes are focused on us). It is a policy of the military to uphold human rights," military information chief Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner Jr. said in a separate phone interview. Brawner also claimed that the health workers did not want to be transferred to a provincial jail reportedly because they preferred conditions inside the military camp. - Mark Merueñas/RSJ/LBG, GMANews.TV