‘Morong 43’ expected to be freed within the week — lawyers

The so-called "Morong 43" health workers arrested last February on suspicion of being communist rebels are expected to walk free within the week, their lawyers said Wednesday. Amado Javier, clerk of court of the Morong Regional Trial Court Branch 78, said that presiding Judge Gina Cenit-Escoto is set to release on Wednesday afternoon or Thursday morning a resolution on the motion to withdraw criminal charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives earlier filed by Department of Justice (DOJ) against the health workers. Lawyer Rachel Pastores, one of the counsels of the health workers, said their camp is "optimistic" the local court will grant the motion for release. "Wala namang major objections na na-present. Lahat naman ng parties nag-agree, so we are hopeful they will be released within the week," she told reporters on Wednesday after the hearing on the motion to withdraw the criminal charges. The 43 health workers have been in detention since they were arrested in Morong, Rizal on February 6. Once the motion has been granted, the detainees’ lawyers will immediately go to Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City, where 36 of the health workers are currently detained, to arrange their release documents, according to Pastores. The rest of the detainees who had been cited by the military are in Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal. Lawyer Julius Matibag, another lawyer representing the group, said their camp will “do their best" to free the detainees before Christmas. “That would be the best gift we can give to them [the health workers] and their families," he told GMANews.TV in a separate interview. On Friday last week, President Benigno Aquino III announced he was ordering the dropping of charges against the 43, after finding that the 43 were denied due process. Aquino earlier said he will not touch the Morong 43 issue. Later that day, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said the 43 could be released before Christmas. (See: DOJ targets release of Morong 43 before Christmas) The Morong 43 workers are facing charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives, as well as violation of the election gun ban. — LBG/RSJ, GMANews.TV