Farmers condemn illegal arrests of 42 doctors and health workers, call for their immediate release

Press Release
By Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas
February 8, 2010

QUEZON CITY  –  The militant Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP, Peasant Movement of the Philippines) and Tanggol Magsasaka (Peasant Network for Land, Justice and Human Rights) condemned the illegal arrests of 42 doctors and health workers by an overkill force of 300 police and military in Morong town, Rizal province.

"We totally condemn this vicious act of the Arroyo government, the abduction of 42 patriotic doctors and medical personnels who offer their services to the poor.  We strongly call for their immediate release," said Antonio Flores, KMP Spokesperson and Tanggol Magsasaka Co-Convenor.

"The Arroyo government that is run by a syndicate sucks the public funds through corruption, the root cause of absence of medical services to the people, has the guts to abduct those who offer their services to the needy," said Flores.

"Rizal Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines – Southern Luzon Command should be appropriately punished as this is a disservice to the people and country," said Flores.

The Health Alliance for Democracy (HEAD), a group of medical personnel who regularly offer their services to the farmers said that the victims were raided 6:15 am at the resthouse of Dr. Melecia Velmonte, while they were conducting health skills training. They were blindfolded and forcibly brought to Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal, the headquarters of the 202nd Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army.

KMP said that that the abducted medical workers who are associated with the HEAD should be in fact be honored of their service and commitment to the people, instead the barbaric Arroyo government has violated their basic rights.  Moreoever, Arroyo government's counter-insurgency program Oplan Bantay Laya is now victimizing even the health sector, in addition to the already persecuted peasants, fisherfolk, workers and other poor sectors.

"Colonel Aurelio Baladad and Police Superintendent Balonglong, leaders of PNP and AFP raiding team, respectively, should be ashamed of themselves, as being paid mercenaries of the corrupt Arroyo government we accept that they are useless to the people, but as they victimize health workers who offer free services to the poor, this is very unacceptable and should be condemned not just by the peasants, but by all sectors," Flores said.

The peasant group said that HEAD, Health Alliance for Human Rights, Council for Health Development and Alliance of Health Workers are medical personnels' groups who regularly gives free medical services to the farmers.

"They are with us in our recent nationwide Lakbayan ng Anakpawis para sa Lupa at Katarungan this January, they launched a relief and medical mission at our peasant areas in Montalban after Ondoy, they rendered free services during our camp-out in Congress in April to May 2009, a medical mission for the farmers at Fort Magsaysay Military Reservation in Laur, Nueva Ecija in October 2008," said Flores.

"They are very important to the peasants and poor sectors, unlike the PNP and AFP, who we wish to banish from the face of the earth," he added.