The Philippine Online Chronicles

Detained health workers collectively known as the ‘Morong 43’ started their week-long hunger strike today to call the government’s attention for their ‘immediate and unconditional release.’

Now on their tenth month of detention at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City, the health workers said going on hunger strike “is the only course of action left” to end their illegal detention. Five of the 43 detainees are at Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal while Mercy Castro and Judilyn Oliveros are on hospital arrest at the Philippine General Hospital after they gave birth while in detention.

They were arrested on February 6 in Morong, Rizal based on a faulty warrant using fictitious name. They were accused by the military as members of the New People’s Army (NPA) and were charged with illegal possession of firearms.

In a statement, they said, “Our action today and in the succeeding days is a call to President Benigno Aquino III to simply order the withdrawal of the case against us forthwith so that we may be immediately and unconditionally released. We believe it is only fitting that we stage this hunger strike as the world observes Human Rights Week. We fight not only for our freedom but for the freedom of all political prisoners nationwide.”

Relatives and colleagues of the Morong 43 also staged a picket at the Department of Justice (DOJ) while foreign religious leaders from the World Council of Churches (WCC) held a dialogue with secretary Leila De Lima to reiterate their appeal for the detainees’ release.

De Lima, on the other hand, told reporters that said she would submit her recommendation to the President within the day “to hopefully find closure to this matter.”

“We are continuing to find means to address this matter and to address the plea of their relatives for their release,” De Lima said in an Inquirer.net.

Also among those who expressed solidarity to the Morong 43 was Air Force Capt. Jonel Pogoy who has been allegedly detained for two years over an expose on supposed Philippine Airforce graft and corruption.

Political detainees in Bicol, Dumaguete and Cebu are also conducting sympathy hunger strikes.

As of June 30 this year, there are 371 political prisoners incarcerated in various jails and detention centers nationwide. Sixty three of them are women and six are minors.