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'Morong 43' on hunger strike to ask for release


(Updated 3:51 p.m.) The "Morong 43," the 43 health workers arrested in February on suspicion of being communist rebels, began a hunger strike on Friday to call for their immediate release from detention. Radio dzBB reported that the group started their hunger strike at 6 a.m. in their detention facility at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City. "Today we begin our hunger strike. This is the only course of action left us to end our continued illegal detention, there being no clear action by the government for our unconditional release," the group said in a statement posted on the website of the militant umbrella group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan). In their statement, the health workers said their arrest by police and military teams early February this year was based on a defective warrant. Except for five members of the group who chose to remain at Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal, the rest of the workers are detained at Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig. The other two— Mercy Castro and Judilyn Oliveros — have been confined at the Philippine General Hospital after giving birth while in detention. "We were tortured physically and psychologically, deprived of sleep, subjected to various indignities, threatened with harm, denied legal counsel for several days and illegally detained until now. Planted evidence was used and false charges were filed against us. Our human rights continue to be violated. Every day in jail is an injustice to us," they claimed. They said their families and friends from different sectors have never stopped working for their release in the last 10 months. Malacañang, meanwhile, said it was surprised by the development on the plight of the Morong 43. "Siyempre medyo mabigat na bagay iyun (hunger strike) and well I can say it comes as a surprise. Sana we’d like to assure the Morong 43 and their families that something is already being done about this, to rectify the situation because even si President Aquino has already said that there seems to be something wrong with the warrant that covered their arrest," deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said. Valte appealed to the detainees as well as to the group's supporters to be patient, assuring them that the case is being attended to by the government.
Even the international community was alarmed over their "illegal arrest" and continued detention, they said. They added various human rights advocates here and abroad have been staging activities and protest actions to urge President Benigno Aquino III to withdraw the charges against them. However, until now, "there are no clear indications that the charges against us will be withdrawn anytime soon," they said. "Our action today and in the succeeding days is a call to President Aquino to simply order the withdrawal of the case against us forthwith so that we may be immediately and unconditionally released. We believe it is only fitting that we stage this hunger strike as the world observes Human Rights Week. We fight not only for our freedom but for the freedom of all political prisoners nationwide," they said. Aquino had asked the Department of Justice (DOJ) to review the case of the 43 after learning some of the circumstances behind the arrest were questionable. Picket at DOJ Also on Friday morning, the workers' relatives and supporters picketed in front of the DOJ building in Manila to press for the withdrawal of the cases against the workers that are pending before Rizal courts. "Ang DOJ ay may sapat na kapangyarihan para sabihin na ilegal ang aresto... dapat palayain na ang Morong 43 at i-withdraw na ang kasong ginawa sa kanila (The DOJ has the power to say that the arrests were illegal. Therefore, the Morong 43 should be released and the cases against them, withdrawn)," said Ofel Balleta, whose daughter, Jane, is among the detainees. Gabriela Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan also joined in the protest. Ilagan said President Aquino must show his resolve against human rights violations by ordering the withdrawal of the cases against them. "If we don't release them now after almost one year of having been detained, it speaks of how this administration looks at human rights and how we treat health workers. It speaks of how we take a view of human rights in general," Ilagan said. Evangelical group calls for Morong 43’s release An evangelical group has joined calls for the immediate release of 43 health workers arrested last February on suspicion of being communist rebels. The United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) questioned President Aquino’s supposed inaction on the case of the detained health workers. "The longer (the 43) are in detention, the more the Aquino government is exposed as incapable of dispensing justice," said UCCP general secretary Bishop Reuel Norman Marigza, in an article posted on the Union of Catholic Asian News (UCAN) website. One of the detained health workers, Dr. Alex Montes, is a UCCP member. On Thursday, lawyers and nurses marched to Mendiola Bridge to press for the release of the Morong 43. Meanwhile, Marigza vowed to monitor proceedings involving the Morong 43, adding they believe justice delayed is justice denied. “(We) will monitor and keep an eye on the case as we strongly believe that justice delayed is justice denied," he said. Earlier this month, Marigza and eight other bishops sought an audience with Aquino to lobby for the release of the health workers. The UCAN said the bishops waited for about 45 minutes but the president reportedly did not meet the delegation. Aquino officials who later met with the bishops for a dialogue told them that the president has left the issue for the courts to decide. “We hope to see a speedy resolution of the case if not the unconditional and immediate release of the health workers as their continued detention has become a constant source of embarrassment before the international community," National Council of Churches in the Philippines general secretary Father Rex Reyes Jr. said. Nardy Sabino, secretary general of the Promotion of Church People’s Response, said the release of the health workers is the “best opportunity" for the government to “straighten a wrong." For his part, UCCP Bishop Emeritus Jesse Suarez said “the most upright thing that President Aquino can do now is to release the 43 health workers." “We shall always support the president as long as he does the right thing, and we will oppose him when he treads the wrong path in his leadership," Suarez added. – with Sophie Dedace, VVP/RSJ, GMANews.TV
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