Cabral: ‘Morong 43’ treated relatively well, but in anguish

The 43 health workers arrested last February 6 on suspicion of being communist rebels are being treated relatively well, Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral said Saturday. But Cabral, who visited the 43 earlier this week at their detention facility in Camp Capinpin in Tanay town in Rizal province, said the detainees appeared to be in mental anguish over their plight. "Nakita natin maayos naman ang kinalalagyan nila. Meron silang selda doon na isa sa isang selda, ang iba dalawa sa isang selda, may sariling toilets (We found their conditions to be relatively good. There are one to two inmates in each cell. They have their own toilets)," she said in an interview on dzRH radio. However, she said the 43 appeared to be in mental anguish because of their detention. "They are behind bars, at yan ang nakakabagabag sa kanila, mental anguish sa kanila. Physically maayos naman sila (Being behind bars is mental anguish for them. But physically, they are fine)," she said. Cabral said she and representatives of the Philippine Medical Association (PMA) visited the detainees at Camp Capinpin last Thursday. She said she and the PMA representatives got a briefing from the military on the detainees, who have been dubbed the "Morong 43." On the other hand, Cabral belied reports that she confirmed the 43 are not legitimate health workers. "Hindi kami ang nakapagpatunay niyan. Ina-assume namin community health workers ang mga yan (It is not us who claimed they are not health workers. We assumed they are community health workers)," she said. The arrest of the 43 health workers has drawn local and international concern over possible violation of the detainees' human rights. International humanitarian organizations also raised concerns over the detainees' physical and psychological conditions after alleged abuses. [See: International concern on Morong 43 mounts...] — LBG, GMANews.TV