Morong 43 And Ampatuan Massacre Cases Highlighted
CHILDREN CALL FOR JUSTICE FOR WOMEN VICTIMS OF HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS UNDER THE ARROYO REGIME ON INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY CENTENARY

Quezon City, Philippines - A month after the illegal arrest and subsequent detention of 43 health workers in Morong, Rizal, children and relatives of the 43 detained health workers appealed to authorities, especially the Court of Appeals, to rule in favor of the 43 detained health workers.

In a press conference today, Ms. Sophia Garduce, spokesperson of SALINLAHI Alliance for Children’s Concerns aired the appeal of the detainee’s children. “As we are about to celebrate the International Women’s Day on March 8, children of the Morong 43 want their mother, sisters and other relatives to celebrate the day together with them, outside camp Capinpin and away from any harm, threat and abuse.”

Egoy, the 4 year old son of Dr. Merry Clamor, said that "ang nanay kong doktora laging nasa PGH kasi marami siyang pasyente dun... pero noon yun. Ngayon, kawawa naman ang mga pasyente ni Nanay kasi kinulong na siya. Wala naman siyang kasalanan. Paano na ang mga pasyente niya?”  (My Mom is a doctor who is always in PGH because she had many patients there.  But that was before.  Now, her patients will suffer because she was detained.  She did not commit any crime.  How will her patients cope now?) He added that he misses his mother and demanded,“Palayain si Nanay!’ (Free my mother!)

The press conference was attended by sons, daughters and other relatives of 43 health workers and classmates of Egoy who gave support by shouting “Palayain si Nanay Merry!”

Garduce reiterated that the 43 health workers should be freed immediately. “We attest to the sincerity of doctors and community health workers who provide medical services to thousands of poor community folks, even in the remotest areas where government services are a total failure, and without any desire to amass wealth out of their services.” She added that Dr. Clamor also served as the vice president of a day care center run by the Parents Alternative on Early Childhood Care and Development or PAECCD, a member organization of SALINLAHI. “Nanay Merry is not only a mother to Egoy, she is also a mother to all students in the day care center as she conducts regular check ups for the children and provides medical service anytime she is needed. As the 43 health workers continue to languish under the hands of their illegal custodians and torturers, thousands of children in rural and urban poor areas are being deprived of their health services,” added Garduce.

Garduce also warned the military not to touch or approach any child or relative of the detainees. “We are alarmed over reports that the military are resorting to psychological pressure by using the detainee’s family and relatives, such as threatening harm or luring them with cash or material incentives, to implicate themselves or their co-detainees as members of the New People’s Army. We demand the military to stop this dirty tactics.”

Garduce stressed that “the impunity of the present government, ironically headed by a woman president, creates a society of orphans, traumatized children and broken families through extra-judicial killings, enforced disappearance, displacement, massacres and illegal arrest and detention.  “SALINLAHI believes that Arroyo’s coddling of this culture of impunity and continued tyrannical rule is only made possible because our society is in a de facto martial rule,” She said.   “For the sake of our children, this should end. As we celebrate the International Women’s day on Monday, we will march and stand together with the families in calling to FREE OUR SISTER! FREE OUR MOTHERS! FREE THE 43! and for JUSTICE NOW FOR THE 58 AMPATUAN MASSACRE VICTIMS! ###