NZ Groups Call for Unconditional Release of Andrea Rosal and all Political Prisoners, Prison and Military Authorities must be held accountable for Baby Diona’s Death

PRESS RELEASE
21 May 2014

New Zealand Philippine Solidarity groups are distressed by the death of baby Diona Rosal, the daughter of political prisoner Andrea Rosal. Baby Diona died aged two days old on May 18th due to hypoxemia, a deficiency of oxygen in the blood.


“The inhumane conditions of Andrea’s detention are likely to have contributed to this tragedy. At the time of her arrest, Andrea was due for a pre-natal check but was not granted adequate medical or pre-natal care while in custody. This is in direct conflict with the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners which states for pregnant prisoners ‘there shall be special accommodation for all necessary pre-natal and post-natal care and treatment,’” Cameron Walker, Spokesperson of Auckland Philippines Solidarity (APS) lamented.

“Rosal was held in a 5x10 metre cell with 31 other inmates at the Philippine National Police’s Camp Bagong Diwa in Manila, hardly suitable conditions for an expectant mother,” Walker continued.


TRAVESTY OF JUSTICE: Death of Baby and Continuing Detention of Andrea


“Two months ago Andrea lost her freedom and now she lost her baby. It would be a travesty of justice to keep Andrea in illegal detention on trumped-up charges.”

“We call on Pres. Benigno Simeon Aquino III to heed the appeal for immediate release of Andrea Rosal and over 400 political prisoners unjustly detained on trumped-up criminal charges.” Auckland Philippines Solidarity (APS) and Wellington Kiwi Pinoy (WKP) declared in a joint statement.


“The deplorable conditions under which Rosal was detained and the tragic death of baby Diona strengthen our resolve to support the international campaign for an unconditional amnesty for political prisoners in the Philippines,” Walker concluded.


Reference:
Cameron Walker, Spokesperson of Auckland Philippines Solidarity (APS)
ph.solidarity@gmail.com

No mother deserves this kind of indescribable heartbreak many times over

Press Statement
19 May 2014

On the death of Andrea Rosal’s newborn baby

From the time of her arrest on March 27, 2014, the treatment of then pregnant Andrea Rosal was dehumanizing and heightened by obvious bad faith if not disregard for basic human rights. She was subjected to undue stress, tension, anxiety and discomfort in infernal, humid and crowded jail conditions.

Immediately after birth last May 17, 2014, her baby daughter was placed in the incubator of the Philippine General Hospital’s Natal Intensive Care Unit. She was not given the once-in-a-lifetime, irreplaceable chance to see her baby daughter Diona Andrea while she was still alive. She was deprived the opportunity to hear her baby cry and to cuddle her, and to give her the comfort and care which only a mother could give. The maternal instincts of a first-time mother like Andrea is no less any other mother’s.

Even as Andrea remains distressed, devastated and even inconsolable with such avoidable tragedy, the wake of her baby daughter has been arranged through her family and friends at the Church of the Risen Lord at the University of the Philippines, Diliman Campus the whole day of May 20, 2014 while the burial is scheduled on May 21, 2014 at Andrea’s hometown of Ibaan, Batangas.

We implore fairness and beseech the basic sense of humanity that Andrea be allowed to attend the wake of her baby Diona Andrea as well as to attend her burial to give her the opportunity to properly mourn the death of her baby.

This will give both mother and child due respect, civility, and decency; as what the child Diona Andrea was not given in life, may she be shown in death.

No mother deserves this kind of indescribable heartbreak many times over.
We plead to make haste in assuaging the pain visited by the cruelty and barbarity of the callous. #
Reference
Edre U. Olalia
NUPL Secretary General
+639175113373


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Photo credit: KARAPATAN