Army hose down Morong 43 relatives

State security forces hosed down some 80 rallyists calling for the release of the ‘Morong 43’ at the Gate 2 of Camp Aguinaldo this morning.

Led by the Victims of the Arroyo government for Justice or HUSTISYA!, the protesters were at the wall of the gate, posting blue dove cutouts with the name of the 43 detainees, when the soldiers bombarded them with water.  The Morong 43 are the illegally detained health workers who were arrested by soldiers on Feb. 6 in Morong, Rizal.

Several women who were mothers of the detainees were among those who were drenched, including Ofelia Beltran, whose daughter Jane was among the 43.  Ofelia is a daughter of the late labor leader Crispin Beltran. 

The Health Alliance for Democracy, the Katribu partylist, and Bagong Alyansang Makabayan joined the protest.  Katribu said that among those detained were indigenous peoples health workers, an Igorot and a Mangyan.

“In effect, the government is depriving the indigenous peoples of the services from the detained health workers,” said Nelson Mallari of Katribu partylist.

The rallyists condemned the AFP’s intention to disrupt a peaceful demonstration. Earlier, the AFP’s loud speaker at the gate played popular music aimed to drown out the protesters’ speeches.

“So this is how the government conserves water?” said a speaker.  The families and protesters proceeded to Camp Capinpin in Rizal to visit the detainees.