Rape of Maguindanao nurse may discourage other health workers

MANILA, Philippines - A group of doctors yesterday warned that the gang-rape of a 21-year-old volunteer-nurse in South Upi, Maguin­danao can send a “chilling message” to health professionals who may want to serve in far-flung communities.

Dr. Geneve Rivera, secretary general of Health Alliance for Democracy (HEAD), said the “perpetrators should be immediately haled to court and given the highest possible punishment for their heinous crime.”

“What happened sends a very chilling message to nurses and health professionals who are considering to stay and even work in far-flung areas where their services are badly needed,” she noted.

The victim is a volunteer-nurse under the Nurses Assigned in Rural Areas (NARS) program of the Department of Health, Department of Labor and Employment, Professional Regulations Commission, and Philippine Nurses Association that had been deployed to serve in South Upi two months ago.

Recently, however, the victim was gang-raped by a group of young men that belong to influential families in Maguindanao.

One of the suspects is allegedly a son of South Upi Mayor Abdula Campong.

Strong will to recover

The 21-year-old nurse, who was abducted, gang raped and left for dead in South Upi town in Maguindanao, has indicated strong will to recover, said the provincial health director.

Dr. Tahir Sulaik, health director of Maguindanao pro­vince, said the victim’s health condition has improved a lot since she was taken to a hospital in Cotabato City.

“Based on what we see, she has a very strong will to recover, she has a very strong personality. Malaki na ang improvement nya,” Sulaik told The STAR.

Sulaik noted that the victim suffered severe injuries in her head, which was hit by a rock and hard wood by her attackers.

He gave assurance that a number of doctors are now helping each other in attending to the medical needs of the victim.

Moreover, operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao are now working double time in investigating the incident.