PHM-Exch> Fw: CHD and HEAD -- release abducted doctors, nurses, and Community Health Workers in Tanay, Rizal, Philippines

[Claudio Schuftan]

From: chd mancom chdmancom at yahoo.com and "Gene Nisperos" <headphil at gmail.com
>,




   MEDIA RELEASE

CHD to AFP and PNP -- release abducted doctors, nurses, and Community Health
Workers in Tanay, Rizal

 As thousands of Filipino health professionals are driven away from the
country because of lack of enough opportunities, the government terrorizes
the very few who chose to stay and serve their fellow citizens, Council for
Health and Development revealed in a press conference held in Quezon City.

In a statement, Eleanor A. Jara, medical doctor and Executive Director of
Council for Health and Development said that at 6:15 am yesterday, February
6, 2010, medical doctors, nurses, and Community Health Workers (CHWs) were
frisked, blindfolded and forcibly taken by combined heavily armed elements
of the 2nd Infantry Division of the Philippine Army  and the Rizal
Philippine National Police.  The troop numbered to about 300, reports said.


Council for Health and Development is the National Secretariat of more than
50 community-based health programs in the entire Philippines.

"The raiding team showed a bogus search warrant and herded our doctors,
nurses, and Community Health Workers conducting health skills
training-seminar in the house of Dr. Melecia Velmonte," Jara said.

"CHD denies the claim of Col. Aurelio Baladad of the Philippine Army's 202nd
Infantry Brigade to the media that the participants were undergoing a
bomb-making training.  We further condemn the AFP and PNP’s action of
planting evidences such as guns and ammunitions in the training venue.  In
truth, the participants were holding a first responders’ health skills
training-seminar aimed to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and skills of
health professionals and Community Health Workers to develop their
capacities in providing health care services to the poorest of the poor,”
Jara added.

Dr. Julie Caguiat of the Community Medicine Foundation further explained
that such brazen act was clearly a state effort to terrorize health
professionals and health workers that work among the people.

Dr. Jara lamented that the abducted health professionals and CHWs are among
those that serve far-flung villages where government personnel and services
are lacking or are nonexistent.  Because of their passion and dedication to
serve their fellow Filipinos, these health professionals and CHWs brave
difficult work environments and meager salaries just so they could be of
service where they are most needed, Jara added.

"Instead of supporting and lauding their efforts and sacrifices, what does
Mrs. Arroyo's government do? Her military and police abduct these health
professionals and CHWs and violate their rights.  In effect, the delivery of
health services in the poorest communities is derailed," Jara said.

The ratio of doctor to patient in the Philippines is pegged by the
Department of Health at 1:30,000.

As of press time, the military has denied the relatives and co-workers of
the victims to see or speak to them.

"The military has done it again, this condemnable incident adds up to the
long list of human rights violation against health workers and
community-based health practitioners.

We call on all health professional organizations, entire Filipino people,
and the international community to denounce state terrorism in the strongest
possible terms.  We enjoin our colleagues in the health profession as well
as the entire Filipino nation to stand united and demand for the release of
the abducted health personnel," Jara concluded. #

Victims                      :

Illegally Arrested and illegally detained (partial list)

§         Dr. Merry Mia, Health Education and Training Services coordinator
for Council for Health and      Development (CHD)

§         Dr. Alexis Montes

§         Gary Liberal, Registered Nurse (Jose Reyes Medical Memorial
Center)

§         Teresa Quinawayan, Midwife

§         Lydia Ubera, health worker

§         Reynaldo Makabenta, health worker

§         Delia Ocasla, health worker

                          Jane Balleta, health worker

§         Janice Javier, health worker

§         Franco Remoroso, health worker

§         Ailene Monasteryo, health worker

§         Pearl Irene Martinez, health worker

§         Elen Carandang, health worker

§         Dany Panero, health worker

§         Rayom Among, health worker

§         Emily Marquez, health worker



Recommended Action:



Send letters, emails or fax messages calling for:

The immediate release of the health workers who are illegally arrested and
illegally detained at Camp Capinpin, Tanay, Rizal.

The government to ensure the safety of the victims and that they are not
harmed; their belongings be returned immediately to them.

The immediate formation of an independent fact-finding and investigation
team composed of representatives from human rights groups, the Church, local
government, and the Commission on Human Rights that will look into raid and
illegal arrest of the health workers conducting health skills training in
Morong, Rizal.

The military to stop the labeling and targeting of human rights defenders as
“members of front organizations of the communists” and “enemies of the
state.”

The Philippine Government to be reminded that it is a signatory to the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights and that it is also a party to all the
major Human Rights instruments, thus it is bound to observe all of these
instruments’ provisions.

You may send your communications to:



H.E. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo

President of the Republic

Malacañang Palace,

E-mail: corres at op.gov.ph / opnet at ops.gov.ph



Gen. Avelino Razon, Ret. PNP

Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process

Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP)

osec at opapp.gov.ph



Norberto Gonzales

Secretary, Department of National Defense

Email: osnd at philonline.com



Atty. Agnes Devanadera

Secretary, Department of Justice

Email:  soj at doj.gov.ph



Atty. Leila De Lima

Chairperson, Commission on Human Rights

Email: chr.delima at yahoo.com



Please send us a copy of your email/mail/fax to the above-named government
officials, to our address urgentaction at karapatan.org  and the addresses of
chdmancom and HEAD.





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