フィリピンで２月6日、女性医師や医療関係者ら43人が、フィリピン共産党の軍事部門である新人民軍（NPA）関係者との疑いを
かけられ、軍に拘束された事件について、女性団体ガブリエラや医療・保健活動にとりくむNGOなどは強く抗議しています。

拘束されたのは、ルソン地方リサール州モロン町マイバンカルに住む医師Melecia Velmonteさんと、地域保健活動のトレーニングのために彼女の別荘に集まっていた42人。43人はいずれも医師や医療技術者、保健ワーカーらで、うち26人が女性、男性が17人でした。
フィリピンではこれまでも、NPA関係者との疑いをかけられた多くの人々が正当な法的手続きのない拷問や処刑の犠牲となっており、43人の安全が懸念されています。
左派女性政党「ガブリエラ」は、拘束された人々は、もっとも貧しい地域で女性や子どもの保健サービスを提供するために献身的にはたらいてきた人々であり、この人権侵害の背後には、選挙がらみの思惑があると指摘しています。
また、医療従事者団体HEADも、43人はNPAとは無関係として拘束の不当性を訴えているほか、アジア人権委員会（AHRC）の情報によれば、Janice Javierさん、 Franco Romerosoさん、 Yolanda Caraigさんは、2008年にも違法に拘束され、拷問を受けた犠牲者であるということです。

関連情報
◆アジア人権委員会
http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2009/3362/
◆Kalapatan
http://www.karapatan.org/
◆ガブリエラ声明
08 February 2010
Reference: Rep. Luz Ilagan, House of Representatives
Contact No. : 09209213221
 
Arrest of 43 health workers, foul and election-related – Gabriela Women’s Party
 
Gabriela Women’s Party decries the arrest of 43 health workers and professionals, 26 of whom are women, attending training seminar held by Council for Health Development (CHD) as foul. It is part of a design to revive anew the state’s attempt to link progressive partylists with the armed revolutionary movement.
 
“It is foul, truly a characteristic of the Arroyo regime.
 
“We can see through clearly the malicious intent behind this arrest. CHD and the participants of the said training are known supporters of the progressive partylists’ causes and have a long, fruitful history of delivering health services to many neglected areas. By tainting their reputation, this regime hopes to dissuade the people from voting for progressive candidates and party lists,” Rep. Luz Ilagan said.
 
The 300 heavily armed soldiers and policemen barged into the rest house of Dr. Melecia Velmonte in Morong, Rizal, where the training was being held, Saturday, February 6, 2010. Explosives and guns along with Bayan Muna campaign materials were purportedly found as the rooms were searched without the presence of witnesses.
“This only tells us that said ‘evidence’ was deliberately planted to provide grounds for the mass-arrest. These people are health care providers to the poorest areas, and Gabriela Women’s Party laments over the fact that 26 of the arrested are women. More so, it’s the women and children who most benefited from the services they provided,” Rep. Ilagan said.
 
According to Ilagan CHD is among the partners of GABRIELA and GWP in their health programs for their local chapters nationwide.
 
Gabriela Women’s Party joins other organizations and sectors in demanding for the immediate, unconditional release of the 43 arrested health workers and professionals.
 
The party also expressed its indignation over the violation of the rights of the accused to their counsel of choice as they were subjected to ‘interrogation.’ It also fears that election-related violence could only escalate further if remains unchecked. #
 
Public Information Department
GABRIELA National Office
(+632) 3712302
 GABRIELA Philippines
35 Sct. Delgado St, Brgy. Laging Handa
Quezon City, 1103 Philippines
TeleFax: (632) 374 44 23
E-mail: gabwomen@yahoo.com