Military insists: ‘Morong 43’ NPA rebels, not health workers

From the Daily Tribune (Jun 22): Military insists: ‘Morong 43’ NPA rebels, not health workers

Despite CHR finding

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) yesterday stood firm that the so-called “Morong 43” were not health workers but members of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) as it vowed to respect the decision issued by the Commission on Human Rights (CHR).

Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc, AFP-Public Affairs Office chief, stressed that the military maintains its stance that the “Morong 43” were NPA members.

Cabunoc cited the confession made by five of those arrested in Feb. 6, 2010 in Morong, Rizal and the return of several others to the mountains after they were released from detention.

He said that two of the “Morong 43” were killed during encounters with NPA in Bulacan and Bicol while another one was captured in Batangas and one surrendered in Mindoro.

Last week, the National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL) released a resolution issued by the CHR confirming the “Morong 43” were illegally arrested and were subjected to torture.

“We will not question the finding of the CHR about the Morong 43. However, we would like to maintain that they are not health workers but NPA members who were undergoing explosives training,” Cabunoc said.

“After their release, most of them went back to the mountains to rejoin the NPA,” he added.

Cabunoc said that matter of recommending filing of charges against any person for alleged human rights violations is well-within the competence of CHR as a constitutional body tasked to investigate all forms of human rights violations involving civil and political rights.

“The AFP will give due respect to such authority,” Cabunoc said.

Cabunoc, however, cited a Supreme Court decision issued in 2014 on the petition for habeas corpus stating there was no substantial argument to treat the issues raised by the relatives, including serious violations of the “Morong 43” constitutional rights.

In a 26-page resolution, the CHR said the rights of the medical workers were violated when they were illegally arrested based on a search warrant issued by a judge from a local court in Imus. The CHR said that the arrest of the Morong 43 was unlawful as there was no valid arrest warrant issued against any of them.

The CHR said its investigation showed that some of the medical workers arrested had contusions and abrasions and contusions on their wrists, forearms and head, which corroborated their account that they were blindfolded and handcuffed tightly for a long period.
http://www.tribune.net.ph/nation/military-insists-morong-43-npa-rebels-not-health-workers