Aquino asked to release pregnant ‘Morong 43’ member

A women’s rights group has called the attention of President Benigno Aquino III to release a pregnant health worker who was arrested with 42 others early this year in Morong, Rizal, on suspicion that they were communist rebels. Maria Mercedes Castro is scheduled to give birth this month, said Tanggol Bayi (Defend Women) in a statement released on Sunday, noting that “conditions in detention cells are not at all suitable" for giving birth. Castro, in an open letter to President Aquino, said: “Imbes na ako ay kapiling ng aking pamilya at pinaghahandaan ang aking panganganak at pag-aayos ng kinabukasan ng aking anak, patuloy pa ring akong nagdurusa sa napakahirap na sitwasyon dito sa kulungan." (Instead of preparing for child birth with my family, I’m still suffering here in detention.) Release them Tanggol Bayi reiterated its call to release the health workers — dubbed as the “Morong 43" — detained at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City and Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal, saying they were illegally arrested. The 43 were arrested by a joint military-police team last February 6 in raid at a private residence in Morong, Rizal on suspicion that they were New People's Army (NPA) rebels who were on an explosives training. The 38 detained in Taguig were charged with illegal possession of firearms and explosives while the five detained in Tanay reportedly admitted being NPA members. “The sheer illegality of their arrest, with trumped up charges brought against all of them who were not even named in the warrant as well as the psychological and physical torture that they suffered under the hands of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, are more than enough basis for their immediate release," said Tanggol Bayi coordinator Cristina Palabay. Give her time In Malacañang, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte asked the public to give Justice Secretary Leila de Lima a chance to review the Morong 43 case. “Kabibigay lang ng directive last week. Wala pa pong sapat na oras si Secretary De Lima na i-review ang kaso… Hintayin po natin," Valte said in an interview on government-run dzRB on Sunday. (The directive was just given last week, and Secretary De Lima doesn't have enough time yet. Let's give her some time.) President Aquino last week ordered De Lima to prioritize the Morong 43 case after she concluded the investigation on the August 23 Manila hostage tragedy that left eight tourists from Hong Kong dead. - KBK, GMANews.TV