Kin, supporters of ‘Morong 43’ to hold nationwide fast

With the 43 health workers arrested in Rizal last February reaching their seventh month of detention, their families and friends are set to stage a nationwide fast on Friday, in pursuit of the demand to immediately release the ‘Morong 43.’ Other political prisoners and members of human rights advocate groups are also set to participate in the nationwide fast, dubbed the “National Day of Action and Sympathy Fast." “We want to raise consciousness about the plight of the Morong 43 and other political prisoners," said Julius Matibag, legal counsel of all the detainees. The moniker "Morong 43" refers to the 38 health workers currently detained at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City for charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives, while the other five, who have reportedly admitted to being New People’s Army rebels, have been returned to Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal where all 43 were originally detained. The 43 were arrested by a joint military-police team last February 6 in raid on a private residence in Morong, Rizal, on suspicion of being members of the New People’s Army who were supposedly being trained in the use of explosives. The group Health Alliance for Democracy (HEAD) countered that the 43 were community health workers and doctors, who were only conducting a health skills training when they were “illegally arrested and arbitrarily detained." “There is already a directive to review the case [of the Morong 43], but it’s taking too long," Matibag said. “We challenge [President Benigno Aquino] to direct the Department of Justice to withdraw the charges." Hostage crisis 'drew away the focus' Justice secretary Leila de Lima, who was head of the Commission on Human Rights when the Morong 43 were arrested, earlier said that she would conduct a review of the case against the Morong 43. However, there has been little progress in the case because the current focus is on the hostage crisis, Matibag said. “The Morong 43 should also be a priority. The hostage crisis should not prejudice the timetable for conduct of the review of their case, and we hope to see them freed as soon as possible," the human rights lawyer said. The day-long protest action and fasting will be staged at the Ninoy Aquino Monument in Quezon City. A mass, to be officiated by Bishop Deogracias Iñiguez, shall also be held at 12 noon at the St. Paul the Apostle’s parish church. Relatives have also sought the help of the Catholic Church to facilitate the release of the Morong 43. The Church is often “the last recourse of human rights victims," said Jigs Clamor, husband of one of the detainees. Each day that the Morong 43 remain detained in jail is a violation of their human rights, an injustice against them and their family, said Clamor, who called on priests and bishops to push for justice for political prisoners. (See related story: Bishops to AFP: Respect rights of ‘Morong 43’) In a statement signed by Tandag Bishop Nereo Odchimar, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines said that “the illegal arrest and continued detention of the ‘Morong 43’ in a military facility represent serious threat to the civil liberties of the Filipino people. —Larissa Mae R. Suarez/JV, GMANews.TV