Jailed daughter of Ka Roger due to give birth anytime

MANILA, Philippines – The human rights group Karapatan on Saturday, March 29, criticized the Aquino administration and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for its treatment of the daughter of the late Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) spokesman who was arrested Thursday.

Karapatan said Andrea Rosal, daughter of the late Gregorio “Ka Roger” Rosal, “remains in a hot and cramped jail” while she is 9 months pregnant and “due to give birth to her first child anytime.”

The group’s secretary-general, Cristina Palabay, said, “Karapatan facilitated the check-up of Rosal today, and the doctor said she may go into labor anytime, as she has been complaining of stomach cramps and difficulty of breathing since her arrest.”

The doctor who checked on Rosal also said an “immediate hospital check-up or even admission has to be done.”

“This is a clear violation of the rights of Rosal. Aside from the fabricated charges filed against her, she should have been released due to her condition,” Palabay added.

Palabay contrasted Rosal’s current condition with the government’s “special treatment” of alleged multi-billion-peso pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles, whose expenses for detention and medical examinations are shouldered by the police. (READ: Medical woes hound Napoles)

The Philippine National Police (PNP) reportedly spends P150,000 (or around $3,350) a month for Napoles’ detention at Fort Sto. Domingo in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

PNP also shouldered Napoles’ medical examination fee of P3,000 (or $66) at the Camp Crame General Hospital last February, and rented a 2D transvaginal ultrasound machine, costing them P5,000 (around $111). (READ: Miriam: Probe excessive spending for Napoles)

“Meanwhile, political prisoners are given a meager budget of P50 (approximately $1) a day,” said Karapatan.

“There are 427 political prisoners languishing in different jails in the country, with 48 of them needing immediate medical attention, yet the government failed to release them, even on humanitarian grounds. On the other hand, the government provided the medical needs of Napoles and granted her request for hospitalization in no time,” added Palabay.

Rosal, along with her security escort and barangay chairman Ruben Gatchalian, was arrested by joint elements of Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the NBI in Caloocan City on Thursday, March 27, because of supposed cases of kidnapping and murder.

On that day, she was preparing to go to the doctor for her check-up, according to Karapatan.

The military says that she is a ranking leader of the NPA in Southern Tagalog. She is also implicated in an attempted homicide case filed in Laguna, said the AFP.

Rosal’s arrest comes days after the military nabbed alleged CPP chairman Benito Tiamzon and his wife Wilma Austria, who served as party secretary general.

Palabay also criticized the Tiamzons’ arrest, saying, “While the Aquino government boasts about the arrest of alleged NPA members, it has done nothing to arrest Gen. Jovito Palparan, the poster boy of human rights violations and impunity in the country.” (READ: The most wanted man in the country) – Michael Bueza/Rappler.com