Despite the presidential order to drop the charges against them, the case of 43 health workers appear far from closed, as relatives and human rights groups insisted Saturday that the military should issue an apology for their 10-month ordeal starting with their arrest in Morong, Rizal in February on suspicion of being New People's Army rebels.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) should issue an apology to reverse its earlier accusations, said Evelyn Montes, who was visiting her 62-year-old husband Dr. Alexis Montes in detention with 37 others in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City.
This page requires a higher version browser “We demand public apology from sa militar [the military]. Pagkatapos ng lahat ng ginawa nilang pagpapahirap sa aming mga pamilya, kailangan nilang mag-sorry at magpaliwanag [After all the sufferings they brought to our families, they need to explain, and say they’re sorry]," Montes said in an interview on Saturday by GMA News’ Rida Reyes.
“Sinira nila ang buhay namin, ang buhay ng mga anak ko. Kailangan, sila mismo maghingi ng sorry sa amin. Ikalat din nila sa buong mundo yung kung papaano nilang kinalat, pinagbintangan yang mga Morong 43 na yan na NPA," she added.
(They disrupted our lives, my children’s lives. Now they need to tell us outright that they are sorry. They should tell this to the entire world in the same way that they spread to the world their accusations that the Morong 43 were NPA members.)
Karapatan's Enriquez: 'That is worrisome'
"Masama ba ang humingi ng apology? Ang ganyang paghingi ng apology, nagpapakita na tao lang tayo, eh hindi eh.," Karapatan secretary general Marie Enriquez said in an interview over dwIZ radio Saturday afternoon.
(Is it bad to apologize? Offering an apology means saying you are only human, prone to mistakes. But that’s not the case here.)
Enriquez also said the government's refusal to apologize for the incident is worrisome, smacks of arrogance, and may further alienate the military from the people.
"Worrisome yan, dapat sila ang protector ng mamamayan kung gusto nilang di matakot sa kanila ang mamamayan," she said.
(That is worrisome. They should act as the people's protectors, if they wish that the people don’t get terrified by them.)
Earlier on Saturday, President Benigno Aquino III said requiring the military to issue a public apology to the 43 was “a bit too much," and that ordering the dropping of charges was enough to correct the wrong done against them. (See: PNoy not keen on AFP apology to Morong 43)
Free by Christmas?
Interviewed by GMA News, Morong 43 relatives said they still have to see whether the military will promptly comply with Aquino’s order to have the detainees released as soon as the criminal cases against them are dropped.
Justice secretary Leila De Lima had made assurances on Friday that her department is preparing the appropriate pleadings to withdraw the charges lodged against the health workers so that Rizal courts can resolve the matter by Christmas. (See: DOJ targets release of Morong 43 before Christmas)
On the other hand, De Lima also noted that at least six of the 43 still have other cases against them.
The AFP confirmed this, insisting that not all the 43 will be released because six of them face separate charges for admitting they have links to the NPA.
For his part, Neil Doloricon, UP fine arts professor and the husband of Morong 43 detainee Angela, expressed worries about what will come next after his wife is released.
“Hindi natatapos ito sa paglaya nila. Yung karanasan ng mga dating bilanggong pulitikal, sinusundan. Yung iba, namamatay. Binabawian e, no? So yung pangamba, nandudun pa rin," Doloricon said in an interview by GMA News.
(This doesn't end with their release. The experience of other released political prisoners is that they remain under surveillance. There are those who were later killed. It’s like they are victims of retribution. So the apprehension remains.)
Possible raps for violating anti-torture law
Meanwhile, Enriquez said they are not just asking for the AFP to apologize, but are in fact preparing charges against the soldiers involved in the arrest of the 43 once the detainees are released.
She said they plan to charge the military for violating the anti-torture law.
In response, AFP spokesman Brig. Gen. Jose Mabanta Jr. said the Morong 43 can go ahead and file counter-charges if they think their human rights were violated, since the military is preparing for such an eventuality and will provide its men “the best lawyers if possible." (See: AFP braces for legal reprisals from Morong 43 supporters)—JV/HS
