Andrea Rosal asks court to let her attend baby's wake, burial

MANILA, Philippines - Andrea Rosal, the daughter of the late New Peoples Army spokesperson Gregorio "Ka Roger" Rosal, on Monday asked the Pasig City Regional Trial Court Branch 266 to allow her to attend the wake of her baby daughter at the University of the Philippines in Diliman Tuesday and the infant's burial in Ibaan, Batangas on Wednesday.

In a four-page urgent ex-parte motion filed before the court by her lawyers, Andrea sought the court's permission saying that she remains "distressed, devastated, and inconsolable" and was not given the chance to see her daughter after she gave birth at the Philippine General Hospital last May 17 at about 8 a.m.

Andrea's baby daughter, Diona Andrea, died of hypoxemia (low level of oxygen in the blood) at around 5 p.m. the following day.

"Immediately after birth, accused-movant's baby daughter was placed in the incubator of the hospital's natal intensive csre unit. The accused-movant was not given the once-in-a-lifetime irreplaceable chance to see her baby daughter while she was still alive. She was deprived of the opportunity to hear her baby cry and to cuddle her, and to give her the comfort and care which only a mother could give. The maternal instincts of a first-time mother like accused-movant is no less any mother's," read the motion.

"It is for this reason that the accused-movant respectfully implores the fairness and beseeches the basic sense of humanity of this court and so moves that she be allowed to attend the wake of her baby as well as to attend the burial to give her the opportunity to properly mourn the death of her baby. This will give both mother and child due respect, civility and decency; as what the child Diona Andrea was not given in life, may be shown in death," added the motion.

Andrea asked the court to be allowed to attend her baby's wake at the Church of the Risen Lord inside UP Dliman the whole day Tuesday and burial Wednesday in Ibaan, Batangas, her hometown.

The Pasig City Regional Trial Court Branch 266 earlier ordered the transfer of the then 31-year old pregnant Andrea to the PGH for confinement.

The court decision was welcomed by militant groups which have been pressing for a hospital confinement for Rosal who was arrested last March 27 in Caloocan City by military intelligence agents on murder charges.

Judge Toribio Ilao of the Pasig Regional Trial Court Branch 266 granted Andrea’s request to be transferred to the PGH from Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan.

Andrea was arrested with two others identified as Rafael de Guzman and Barangay captain Ruben Gatchalian.

Rosal had arrest warrants for murder, kidnapping, and attempted homicide issued by the Quezon City RTC Branch 64. Rosal uses the aliases Naiya, Liam, Uno, U1 and Blue.

Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala, chief of the AFP public affairs office, has earlier described Andrea as a "ranking leader" of the NPA in Southern Tagalog. She holds the position of secretary of the Sangay sa Platun Bagong Silang.