Members of the Confederation forUnity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (COURAGE) todaygathered along the Elliptical Road in Quezon City to demand the immediate andunconditional release of the 43 health workers who up to now are beingsubjected to physical and psychological torture.
They carried placards, lit candles andheld a protest program to show their condemnation against the continued detentionand torture of the so-called Morong 43, some of whom are known to be from statehospitals.
“As public servants, we salute thesehealth workers who have sacrificed their personal ambition in order to bringmedical and health services to the people abandoned by the state. We are enragedthat these genuine public servants were arrested, detained and tortured becauseof advancing and protecting the interests of the poor,” said COURAGE NationalPresident Ferdinand Gaite.
“It is almost a month since the 43health workers were illegally arrested during a health training seminar inMorong Rizal but to date Mrs. Arroyo has remained mum on this pressing issue. Thereis already a growing outrage from several individuals and groups, that areeither based here in the Philippines or abroad . Instead of admonition, theleaders and officers of the raiding team were even given recognition. TheArroyo regime is desperately convincing itself that Oplan Bantay Laya 2 is asuccess.”
Relatives of the detainees confirmedthat the health workers were forced to admit that they are NPA guerillas. Thereare also reports that three of the detainees including Crispin Beltran’sgranddaughter, Jane Balleta, were transferred to a different camp last February28 and the AFP has refused to comment on this information.
At the same picket, the militant groupalso decried the government’s all-out attack against progressive groups. TheAFP’s allegations that Bayan Muna campaign paraphernalia were found in Dr. Velmonte’s rest house during the raid lastFebruary 6 is nothing but a recycled tactic to discourage support for thecongressional and senatorial bids of progressive partylists and individuals,claimed Gaite. COURAGE has also received reports that the AFP is frequenting itsinformation drive against progressive party-lists in various communities. “Thisis a clear manifestation that the Arroyo administration is threathened of thestrength of the progressive bloc. The senatorial bids of Rep. Satur Ocampo andRep. Liza Maza are gaining popular support from the masses as the 2010 electionnears,” Gaite added.
COURAGE vowed to intensify theircampaign for the immediate release of the 43 health workers and an end to humanrights violations and impunity. “Our unions have also been tagged as enemies ofthe state and are still subjected to several forms of harasment. We will ensurethat Mrs. Arroyo will be held accountable for all her crimes even after herterm ends,” the leader ended. #
