On Morong 43:

Migrant workers group assails CA ruling on 43 health workers, says the victims should be freed

Press Release
10 March 2010

An alliance of Migrant workers group in the Middle East today assails the unfavorable ruling rendered by the Court of Appeals on the habeas corpus petition filed by the 43 health workers and their relatives.

“It seems that even the Court of Appeals is now also afflicted by the prevailing culture of impunity fostered by the Arroyo regime which cited a martial law-old Supreme Court doctrine in justifying its ruling junking the habeas corpus petition filed by the 43 illegally arrested and detained health workers and their relatives,” said John Leonard Monterona, Migrante-Middle East regional coordinator.

Monterona said many legal experts are one in saying that the manner of arrest and continued detention of the 43 health workers is patently illegal and constitute violations on the Constitutional provisions in effecting arrest and detention in respect to the supreme law of the land’s Bill of Rights.

“The junking of the habeas corpus petition is a big blow to the justice system especially in times when the Court’s impartial ruling is needed most, in time where the civil rights and freedom of the people is under attacked by the most anti-people, brutal, and fascist regime,” Monterona added.

“The grim face of the 1972 martial law imposition could easily depicted from the case of the 43 health workers aside from the fact the political repression and persecution among social and political activists unabatedly continues,” Monterona observed.

Monterona said Migrante chapters and other OFW groups and Filipino communities sympathetic to the plight of the 43 health workers are closely watching on the development of their case and their continued illegal detention.

“We are preparing for a massive campaign to get help from the different Filipino communities to demand the release of the 43 health workers and call upon the international community to press hard the Arroyo administration to release the 43 health workers,” Monterona ended. # # #

Reference:
John Leonard Monterona
Migrante-Middle East regional coordinator
Mobile No.: 00966 564 97 8012