Palace appeals for patience from Morong 43 relatives

A Malacañang official on Friday asked relatives of the so-called Morong 43 to be a little more patient with the government, saying President Benigno Aquino III is already set to study the review of the cases against the detained health workers accused of being communist rebels. "Naiintindihan naman po natin dahil personally involved, ano po ‘yan eh, hindi po natin masisisi ‘yung mga kapamilya po ng Morong 43 kung they sense frustration or baka po nababagalan or nagiging impatient na po sila but something po is being done about it and we ask po for just a little more understanding dahil may ginagawa naman po tayo doon sa kaso," said deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte in an interview with Palace reporters. (We understand because they're personally involved, we can't blame the relatives of the Morong 43 if they sense frustration or they're getting impatient but something is being done about it and we ask for just a little more understanding because we're doing something about the case.) On Thursday, senior deputy executive secretary Jose Amor Amorado submitted to Aquino the Office of the Executive Secretary's review of Justice Secretary Leila de Lima's confidential memorandum on the cases filed against the health workers. Amorado met with the victims' relatives and colleagues last Monday, where they reiterated their call for the release of the health workers. Valte said Aquino will act on the recommendations after he studies them. The health workers, arrested during a raid in Rizal province in February this year, are facing charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives. Five of them are under the custody of the military at Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal, after allegedly admitting they were supporters of the New People's Army (NPA). On the other hand, the 38 others were transferred at the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center in Camp Crame in Quezon City last May. Last month, Aquino hinted that the DOJ review of the case indicated that the warrant of arrest did not give the government security forces the authority to arrest the health workers. "The review basically stated that there was a person that they (authorities) were going to serve a warrant against. That person was not in the resort that was raided. The firearms, in particular, will fall only in a general classification. [The] explosives were not part of the warrant," Aquino said back then. Aquino, however, said the fate of the detained health workers ultimately depend on the courts handling their cases. "The matter is before the courts. Again, [it’s in their] jurisdiction… So [those] courses of action, we would want to rectify that situation. But that would have to undergo sanction by the courts that have already taken cognizance of the case," he said. "Hindi naman puwede iutos ng executive na lumaya sila without the court’s sanction (The executive cannot just order their release without the court's sanction)," he added. — Jam Sisante/RSJ, GMANews.TV