Statement of the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP)

NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CHURCHES IN THE PHILIPPINES
February 9, 2010

PRESS STATEMENT

Free the 43 Health Workers

The National Council of Churches in the Philippines expresses extreme alarm over the arrest and continued detention of forty three health workers who participated in a training conducted by a non-government organization, the Council for Health and Development. Reports say they were arrested in Morong, Rizal on February 6 in the residence of Dr. Melicia Velmonte.?Since their arrest, they have been denied visits of relatives and friends. It was only through the intervention this morning of Commissioner Leila de Lima of the Commission on Human Rights that some of the relatives were able to see their loved ones. Reports said that the detainees were tortured. The detained health workers include Dr. Alexis Montes, a member and former national health program coordinator of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines. Dr. Montes was a member of the NCCP’s Commission on Faith, Witness and Service at one time. A news report stated the AFP accused Dr. Montes as a member of a special unit of the New People’s Army (NPA) formed to liquidate General Jovito Palparan.

This latest assault on human rights is a manifestation of a dysfunctional system claiming democracy yet denying basic rights to its citizens. It is a system where warlords are entitled their rights if not coddled by the powers that be while members of NGOs and people's organizations are not. It is a system where those who cause people's pain are allowed their maximum day in court and are even set free while those who ease the people’s pain are labeled members of the NPA, leftists, communists, ad infinitum, arrested and tortured then denied any right, constitutional or otherwise.

Such is the intention of the anti-insurgency policy of the state through Oplan Bantay Laya II. There can be no better ingredient for more social and political dissent than the brazen affront to human dignity like, illegal arrests and detention, extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances. The best ingredient to quell any further dissent is to resolve once and for all the festering issues of corruption, poor governance, agrarian unrest, development aggression and political degeneration that have confined the people in this republic in a state of misery and poverty.

We appeal to the authorities to release these health workers. With a dwindling budget for health, the least the government could do is to support non-government initiatives whose leaders and constituents, more often than not, represent the ideals of genuine community service and Christian selflessness. We also reiterate our call for the government to adopt and heed the recommendations of Prof. Philip Alston, the Special Rapporteur on extra judicial, summary or arbitrary executions, particularly to review its counter-insurgency program. Oplan Bantay Laya is an instrument for terror. It has no place in a democratic society.

To our partners around the world, please continue to uphold us in your prayers and be unceasing in your solidarity with us.


REV. REX RB REYES, JR.
General Secretary