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AFP defends its handling of Morong 43
Crying foul over “false and malicious allegations" of maltreating the so-called “Morong 43" arrested last February on suspicion of being communist rebels, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) released yesterday an open letter defending its conduct. “Your Philippine Army is one with you in our quest for peace, truth and justice, and we are trying very hard to prove this to the people," stated an open letter, dated November 10 and signed by AFP spokesman Col. Antonio Parlade Jr. On February 6 this year, operatives of the AFP and the Philippine National Police (PNP) raided a farm house in Morong, Rizal, and arrested 43 health professionals and workers on charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives. The Morong 43 said they were conducting a health training seminar. The AFP disputed this, reporting the seizure of weapons and explosive devices — including two pieces of improvised claymore landmines — from the premises. The presence of explosives is “a strong indication that the activities of the 43 accused were not limited to health trainings alone," insisted the AFP in the letter. Health groups and human rights organizations who support the Morong 43 have maintained that the evidence was planted. Various rights groups have also pointed out that the arrests were based on a warrant to be served on one “Mario Conde," although in subsequent hearings on the case in the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), Conde was never brought out or identified. None of the 43 detainees are named “Mario Conde." Still, the AFP said in their open letter that they had “followed the necessary legalities and procedure," adding that the operation was “a product of a thorough and deliberate planning, extensive intelligence work and accurate surveillance." In the three days following their arrest, the detainees were held incommunicado. Some of them later reported that they had been tortured. The AFP dismissed these allegations, asserting in the letter that “the detainees were treated well and humanely while they were in the custody of the Philippine Army." The letter also noted that “only 38 of them are in detention as the other five admitted their association with the communist movement and decided to cooperate and stay in the AFP’s custody." Currently, 37 health workers are held in Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig. The five cited by the AFP have been returned to Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal, where the 43 were first detained, while one member of the group, who gave birth last July, is confined to a room in the Philippine General Hospital (PGH). Judilyn Oliveros gave birth on July 22 to a baby boy. A court has granted her permission to breastfeed her baby at the PGH. Another member of the group, Ma. Mercedes Castro, also gave birth to a healthy baby girl at the PGH on October 18. “As to their claim that the arresting officers did not have the common humanity to allow the two detainees to give birth in a well-equipped hospital, this does not fall within the jurisdiction of the arresting officers," argued the letter, pointing out that this is a responsibility of the courts. “We understand the sentiments of the detainees’ families. However, it is also unfair for the military, which is struggling to do its part professionally, to be accused of these injustices," stated the letter. “[The] Army of today is not the Army of the Martial Law years," the AFP added. In a separate phone interview, Parlade said they decided to release the letter because they are losing the “propaganda war against leftists." They have remained silent about the issue out of respect for the sub-judice rule, as the case of the Morong 43 is still pending with the courts. However, Parlade said they had to speak up as “it’s unfortunate that the Army is being projected as very unprofessional." He said that soldiers are being demoralized by bad publicity, and explained that “we have the obligation to our units… to inform the public of what really happened." ‘Free the 43’ In the nine months since the Morong 43 were arrested, there has been a growing clamor of support for the detainees, calling on the authorities to release them immediately. The groups who have publicly condemned the arrest and continued detention of the 43 health workers include:
- The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (See: Bishops to AFP: Respect rights of Morong 43)
- Several former secretaries of the Department of Health, deans and professors from some of country’s premier medical schools, and other prominent personalities (See: Former health execs, 100 others urge Aquino to release ‘Morong 43’)
- Several lawmakers in the House of Representatives (See: Release of political prisoners sought following soldiers amnesty)
- International rights-oriented organizations (See: NZ-based group scores Aquino on human rights at ASEAN summit, US-based lawyers ask PNoy to free Morong 43, Canadian lawyers join calls to free ‘Morong 43’)
