Illegal arrest, torture is what AFP defines as ‘decisive tactical gain’- Morong 43 kin and supporters

In its recent spin, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said thru its spokesman, Col. Antonio Parlade said that the Morong 43 arrest could have been “a major tactical gain had it not been hurled with malicious allegations..”

Dr. Julie Caguait, spokesperson of the FREE THE 43 HEALTHWORKERS ALLIANCE said that this again shows the intransigence and impunity of the AFP. She said that this is a weak and desperate attempt to deflect the issue, a ploy to digress from the serious violations they have committed.

“If illegal arrest and detention along with torture and denial of human rights are what the military counts as tactical victory, then the public must be warned of more atrocities from the armed forces to come. “ Caguiat said.

Relatives and supporters of the Morong 43 said that military is again harping a laundry list of repeated lies. The group also hits the army’s desperate spin by playing up the army’s professionalism to hide its violations on the Morong 43.

The doctor made the statement after the military recently released an open letter to the public claiming that current armed forces are no long relics of the Martial Law years and that they do conscientiously adhere to professionalism making all the allegations against them as untrue and malicious.

Caguiat said that public cannot be charmed by the AFP’s perversion of professional character. “I don’t think that (professionalism) and atrocities against the 43 health workers can be equated because this is not at all an issue. While the group recognizes that there are principled men in uniform and respectable sections of the armed forces, they said that torture and illegalities are not correct measures of professionalism.”

Moreover, the group said that the military if it is so inclined to call it a propaganda war, anyhow will never win. It has lost credibility as evidenced by the Morong 43’s broad support. The army and the police since day 1 have lied about the health workers’ arrest.

These sentiments against the AFP are not merely allegations but are facts, which the Commission of Human Rights, the Department of Justice and even president himself recognized in his last declaration of the illegalities and by recognizing the arrest and everything about it are considered "fruit of the poisonous tree".

Caguiat said the military will never gain public sympathy and credibility and by so doing neither could they be spared from legal accountabilities in the future. She also said that the AFP cannot be one with the public in its quest for peace, truth and as long as they continue to disrespect human rights.

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Reference:
Dr. Julie Caguiat
Spokesperson, FREE THE 43 HEALTH WORKERS ALLIANCE
Mobile: 0909 113 3038 / 0919 486 1580
Telephone: 929 8109 / 881 0910