Cayetano calls for stay of Morong 43 member at PGH

MANILA, Philippines – Senator Pia Cayetano has asked the courts to allow Morong 43 member Judilyn Oliveros to extend her stay at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) for another three months so that she can breastfeed her newborn son for a full six months.

In a statement, Cayetano noted that the World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding for newborn children for at least six months.

Oliveros, who along with 42 other individuals were arrested by the authorities on suspicion of being members of the communist New People’s Army, gave birth to her son last July 22 at the PGH

Following a motion by her lawyers for the Morong Regional Trial Court in Rizal to grant her temporary liberty so that she can take care of her baby outside of the detention facility, Oliveros was allowed to stay with her child for three months at the PGH.

“I hope the court will consider extending Oliveros’ temporary liberty from the original three months to at least six months, which is the recommended period for exclusive breastfeeding by the World Health Organization,” said Cayetano, chair of the Senate committee on youth, women and family relations. 

Cayetano said that returning Oliveros to her detention cell in Camp Bagong Diwa after three months would only defeat the purpose of the court’s decision that allowed her to nurse her son in a mother- and child-friendly institution like the PGH.

The senator is an advocate of breastfeeding and was principal author of the recently-passed Republic Act No. 10028 or the Expanded Breastfeeding Act.

Cayetano previously thanked Justice Secretary Leila de Lima for instructing government prosecutors to drop any opposition to Oliveros’ appeal for temporary release on humanitarian grounds.

The non-opposition of the prosecutors became the RTC’s basis to reverse its earlier decision ordering Judilyn’s return to Camp Bagong Diwa immediately after she gave birth on July 22 at PGH.

“Release on recognizance is the discretion of the court on humanitarian grounds, such as in Judilyn’s case. She’s a nursing mother whose rights as a woman were violated when she was forced to care for her newborn inside a jail cell, which obviously has inadequate facilities for maternal and neo-natal care,” Cayetano said.