US-based lawyers ask PNoy to free Morong 43

An international group of human rights lawyers has called the attention of President Benigno Aquino III to release the 43 health workers who were arrested early this year in Morong, Rizal on suspicion that they were communist rebels. The US-based International Association of Democratic Lawyers president Jeanne Mirer also asked Aquino to act immediately on Justice Secretary Leila de Lima’s recommendations on the case that was tagged as Morong 43. “We understand that [De Lima] has completed her review and has forwarded it you for action," Mirer said in an Oct. 12 letter to the President. “We hope that she has recommended that the prosecution be abandoned and that you will agree to this request." The Justice chief two-weeks ago submitted to the President her recommendations on the Morong 43. The 43 were arrested by a joint military-police team on Feb. 6 during a raid at a private farm in Morong on suspicion that they were New People’s Army rebels doing explosives training. The 38 were detained in Taguig for illegal possession of firearms and explosives while five were taken to a military camp in Tanay, also in Rizal, for reportedly admitting that they were NPA members. “We are aware of the illegality of the search given that the warrant was obtained for an entirely different person and place than the conference center where these workers were in a weeklong training. The illegal search makes the subsequent arrest of these workers illegal as there were no arrest warrants," Mirer’s letter read. “We are also aware that they were deprived of counsel for many days, and when they were rounded at the conference center, there was ample opportunity for the military to plant incriminating evidence," Mirer said. Mirer told the President how the women prisoners are playing a big part in keeping other prisoners health-conscious. “We also heard from the women prisoners that based on their qualifications as health workers, they have been assisting the prison authorities in teaching health-related subjects to the administration and other prisoners," she wrote. GMANews.TV tried to get in touch with Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda but he could not be contacted as of posting time. — VS, GMANews.TV