Republic of the Philippines

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE RESOLUTION No. 77

________________________________________________________________________
Introduced by Rep. TEODORO A. CASIÑO and NERI JAVIER COLMENARES

RESOLUTION
CALLING FOR THE IMMEDIATE AND UNCONDITIONAL RELEASE OF
THE MORONG 43 HEALTH WORKERS, ESPECIALLY THE TWO
PREGNANT DETAINEES, WHO HAVE BEEN ILLEGALLY ARRESTED
AND DETAINED SINCE FEBRUARY 6, 2010 AND HAVE BEEN
SUBJECTED TO VARIOUS FORMS OF TORTURE IN VIOLATION OF
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9745 OR THE ANTI-TORTURE ACT OF 2009

WHEREAS, on February 6, 2010, at around 6:15 a.m., around 300 soldiers from the
202nd Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army and policemen from the Rizal Provincial
Police forcibly entered the residential compound and resort of renowned infectious
disease specialist Dr. Melecia Velmonte in Morong, Rizal where a group of health
workers were conducting a one-week “First Responders Training,” sponsored by the
Community Medicine Foundation, Inc. (COMMED) and Council for Health and
Development (CHD);

WHEREAS, the soldiers and police rounded up the facilitators and participants of the
training seminar – two doctors, one registered nurse, two midwives and 38 health
workers – and handcuffed and blindfolded them. The military and police led by Col.
Aurelio Baladad and Police Superintendent Marion Balonglong arrested the following:

Dr. Merry Mia, 33, CHD staff, and Alexis Montes, 62, COMMED volunteer; registered
nurse Garry Liberal, 43; midwife and CHD staff Ma. Teresa Quinawayan, 26; health
educator and Alliance of Health Workers staff Lydia Ayo Obrera, 61; CHD staff
Reynaldo Macabenta, 30; health educator Angela Doloricon, 50; and community health
workers Delia Ocasla, 46, Janice Javier, 22, Franco Remoroso, 28, Linda Racel
Otanez, 35, Pearl Irene Martinez, 25, Eleanor Carandang, 30, Danny Piňero, 32, Ray-
om Among, 26, Emily Marquez, 23, Emilia Marquez, 20, Jane Balleta, 27, Glenda
Murillo, 26, Eulogio Castillo, 40, Jovy Ortiz, 23, Samson Cstillo, 42, Miann Oseo, 31,
Sylvia Labrador, 43, Lilibeth Donasco, 24, Jenilyn Vatar, 19, Ramon de la Cruz, 21,
Jaqueline Gonzales, 24, Maria Elena Serato, 35, Ma. Mercedes Castro, 27, Leah de
Luna, 28, Judilyn Oliveros, 26, Yolanda Yaun, 51, Edwin Dematera, 37, Cherielyn
Riocasa, 31, John Mark Barrientos, 20, Mark Escartin, 20, Julius DUano, 30, Ronilo
 Espera, 31, Romeo de la Cruz, 53, Valentino Paulino, 35, Ace Millena, 22, and Lorelyn
Saligumba, 23;

WHEREAS, it was only after the illegal arrest that the group presented a search warrant
for a certain Mario Condes for illegal possession of firearms. It was dated February 5,
2010 and issued by Judge Cesar A. Mangrobang of Branch 22 of the Imus, Cavite
Regional Trial Court. However, it was only five days after their arrest that charges were
officially filed;

WHEREAS, the search warrant did not contain the name of any of the health
workers or any of the residents of the compound nor did it mention the exact
address of the compound, only “Bgy. Maybangcal, Morong, Rizal”;

WHEREAS, it was only after the victims were forced into the vehicles and the residents
were made to go outside that the military conducted the search. Witnesses said the men
were carrying plastic bags as they re-entered the compound. A pistol, three (3) grenades
(one supposedly found under a pillow), C4 explosives and improvised landmines were
allegedly found in the compound;

WHEREAS, the arrest is illegal and unconstitutional, violating Sec. 2, Article III of the
Philippine Constitution, which states:

Section 2. The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses,

papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures of
whatever nature and for any purpose shall be inviolable, and no search
warrant or warrant of arrest shall issue except upon probable cause to be
determined personally by the judge after examination under oath or
affirmation of the complainant and the witnesses he may produce, and
particularly describing the place to be searched and the persons or
things to be seized.
WHEREAS, in further violation of their rights, the military prevented relatives and
human rights groups from visiting the health workers. It was only when the Commission
on Human Rights stepped in after six days that the relatives were allowed to enter the
camp;

WHEREAS, the detainees revealed that they were blindfolded and handcuffed for days,
made to sleep while sitting down and guarded closely that they could not eat or go to the
toilet on their own. Their guards had to pull down their underwear when they relieved
themselves, with guards washing the private parts of the female detainees;

WHEREAS, Dr. Alexis Montes and Ely Castillo claim they were tortured while Dr.
Merry Mia’s interrogators threatened to harm her and her family. Dr. Montes, already 62
years old, was tied firmly during interrogation. He was told that he was standing on the
edge of a ravine as his interrogators poked him with sticks. He was also electrocuted and
was paralyzed for a time. He did not eat during his first two days of detention because he
felt that the food and drinks served were laced with some unknown substance;
WHEREAS, the military violated Section 4 (b) of Republic Act No. 9745 or the Anti-
Torture Act by blindfolding the detainees, depriving them of sleep, prohibiting them
from communicating with their families and forcing them to undergo prolonged
interrogations;

WHEREAS, in the course of five months, the military violated the law and due process
by conducting illegal search and arrest, using an inappropriate place of detention, denial
of the detainees’ right to counsel, mental and physical torture, refusal to present the
health workers in court and coercion;

WHEREAS, since their arrest, the health workers have endured the harsh conditions in
Camp Capinpin and later in Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan. Two of the detainees are
pregnant, one of whom is due to give birth at this filing. Meanwhile, others have
developed diseases and worsened conditions of their pre-existing illnesses;

WHEREAS, Pres. Benigno Simeon Aquino III has committed to resolve the
extrajudicial killings and other human rights violations that have marked the nine-year
rule of Mrs. Arroyo and the case of the health workers is a test case for the new
administration’s human rights commitment;

RESOLVED FINALLY, that the House of Representatives call for the immediate and
unconditional release of the Morong 43 health workers, especially the two pregnant
detainees, who have been illegally arrested and detained since February 6, 2010 and have
been subjected to various forms of torture in violation of Republic Act No. 9745 or the
Anti-Torture Act of 2009.

Adopted,

REP. TEODORO A. CASIÑO REP. NERI JAVIER COLMENARES

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