6 members of 'Morong 43' to sue Arroyo, AFP for P15 M

MANILA, Philippines - Six members of the so-called “Morong 43” will file tomorrow separate damage suits totaling P15 million against former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and some officials and personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) behind their illegal arrest in February 2009.

According to Carlos Montemayor, spokesman of Free the 43 Alliance, each of the six health workers will seek P2.5 million in damages before the Quezon City regional trial court for their suffering while in detention.

The six are doctors Alexis Montes and Nerry Clamor, both members of Community Medicine Development Foundation; Gary Liberal, a nurse at the Jose Reyes Medical Memorial Center; midwife Teresa Quinawayan; and Reynaldo Macabenta and Mercy Castro, both community health workers.

Montemayor said the six will invoke Articles 25, 32 and 33 of the Civil Code in their suits.  “Their constitutional rights have been violated.  They suffered physical injury while in detention,” he said.

Aside from Arroyo, the six will also go after former defense secretary Norberto Gonzales and former AFP chief retired general Delfin Bangit, during whose tenure the 43 were arrested while attending a community health seminar in a resthouse in Morong, Rizal in February 2009.

Most of the workers were released in December 2010 upon orders of President Aquino. Montemayor said Arroyo, Gonzales and Bangit failed to act on the demands to release the health workers despite the irregularity of their apprehension.

He added that more of the Morong 43 are expected to file charges against the three respondents in the coming weeks.