CHR to probe AFP raid in Rizal

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) will conduct an investigation into the military raid on a rest house in Morong, Rizal, where 43 health workers and doctors were detained last Saturday on suspicion of being communist rebels.

CHR Chairperson Leila de Lima strongly condemned the arrest and the refusal of the Armed Forces of the Philippines to allow CHR personnel to visit the detainees.

“This is an affront to our institution as it is a disrespect to our mandate,” she said. “We will lodge a formal protest on this matter with the AFP leadership.”

De Lima had dispatched a quick reaction team (QRT) from the CHR-National Capital Region at Camp Capinpin to check on the condition of the arrested persons.

However, the military authorities blocked the entry of the CHR team who waited for hours until De Lima ordered them to pull out of Camp Capinpin, headquarters of the 202nd Infantry Brigade of the AFP.

“To preserve the dignity of our institution, and upon recommendation of our NCR Regional Director, I have decided to pull out our team from Camp Capinpin, rather than expose them to further indignities borne out of the camp authorities’ continued refusal of entry. It is most condemnable,” De Lima said.

She reminded the military that the CHR has visiting powers as expressly guaranteed in the Constitution, noting she also received prior reports that the military is also not allowing visits from relatives and friends of the arrested health personnel.

Various groups have condemned the arrest, saying it was an “illegal raid and a violent abduction.”

The Health Alliance for Democracy (HEAD) demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the arrested which consist of two doctors, a nurse, midwife and health workers.

HEAD secretary-general Dr. Geneve Rivera said the victims were falsely accused of holding a bomb making seminar. She insisted that they were conducting health skills training at the rest house of Dr. Melecia Velmonte, a consultant of the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH).

HEAD said the military and police teams, which were led by Col. Aurelio Baladad and a certain Superintendent Balonglong, respectively, had the training participants line up, frisked, blindfolded, and forcibly brought to Camp Capinpin. 

The group likewise said that the personal belongings of the health workers and doctors, as well the training materials used were all confiscated by the military.

“The raiding team used bogus search and arrest warrants, and disregarded the rights of Dr. Velmonte, who owns the property,” Rivera added.

The umbrella militant group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) likewise denounced the “Gestapo-like mass arrest” of the health workers and doctors.

Bayan said that the alleged explosives found in the house of Velmonte were “obviously planted” by the military and police.

Meanwhile, the police said they are ready to file charges of rebellion and other criminal offenses against the 43 suspects,

In a phone interview with The STAR, Col. Noel Detoyato, 2nd Infantry division commander, said charges of illegal possession of explosives and firearms and violation of Omnibus election code and rebellion are set to be filed by authorities at the Regional Trial Court in Morong, Rizal. – With Sheila Crisostomo, Michelle Zoleta and Ed Amoroso