“We call on the Philippine Government to immediately release NDFP peace consultant Wilma Austria-Tiamzon on just and humanitarian grounds as the inhuman jail condition has worsened her health situation,” Cristina Palabay secretary general of Karapatan said.
“We call on the Philippine Government to immediately release NDFP peace consultant Wilma Austria-Tiamzon on just and humanitarian grounds as the inhuman jail condition has worsened her health situation,” Cristina Palabay secretary general of Karapatan said.
Austria-Tiamzon will be brought to the Philippine National Police General Hospital and the National Kidney Transplant Institute (NKTI) for medical check-up on orders of Judge Madonna Echiverri of Quezon City RTC Branch 81 issued on October 13. The Court granted Austria-Tiamzon’s motion to undergo medical check-up and treatment. She has been experiencing recurrent dizziness and chronic fatigue and back pains.
Dr. Geneve E. Rivera-Reyes of Health Action for Human Rights (HAHR) who initially examined Austria-Tiamzon said Austria-Tiamzon’s symptoms are consistent with “Vertebral Artery Syndrome,” a condition that may have arisen from vertebral artery occlusion, which she was diagnosed with in 2006. Austria-Tiamzon is also suffering from “spondylolisthesis”, a displacement of a vertebra.
Dr. Rivera-Reyes recommended that specialists, particularly a cardiologist and thoraco-cardio-pulmonary-vascular surgeon should examine Austria-Tiamzon.
Karapatan asserted Austria-Tiamzon’s arrest and detention violates the GPH-NDFP Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG). “In undertaking her role as a consultant to the peace negotiations, she should be immune to arrests and other rights violations,” Palabay stated.
Palabay also cited the DND-DILG ORDER ON REWARD NUMBER 14(A)-2012 issued on December 12, 2012 amending earlier DND-DILG Joint Order Number 14-2012 which deleted the name of Wilma Austria-Tiamzon and four others based on the JASIG and “in recognition of the pending peace negotiations and conditions upon the existence of said peace negotiations”.
Other ailing political prisoners
A co-detainee of Tiamzon at Camp Crame, political detainee Ramon Argente suffered from a heart attack in 2007 and was advised by doctors to undergo a heart by-pass operation. Due to financial constraints, Argente who is a peasant organizer in Camarines Norte, was only able to see a heart surgeon in 2013. While preparing for his surgery, Argente was arrested in February 2013 based on trumped-up criminal charges of kidnapping, arson, murder and frustrated murder and was detained at the Camarines Norte Provincial Jail. Argente’s health worsened inside jail. He needed oxygen every day. In September 2013, the courts finally granted his request for hospitalization at the Philippine Heart Center where he underwent a triple heart by-pass surgery.
On October 13, a court order from the Regional Trial Court in Labo, Camarines Norte signed by acting Presiding Judge Roberto Escaro directed the Custodial Center at Camp Crame to bring Argente to the Philippine Heart Center for a final check-up to determine if he is fit to travel back to the Camarines Norte Provincial Jail.
“As it is, Argente’s condition at the Custodial Center in Camp Crame, where he was transferred after his by-pass operation, is not conducive to his full recovery. He should be immediately released instead of bringing him back to the provincial jail,” said Palabay.
Karapatan cited the situation of the Alegre couple, who together with their son, were convicted on trumped-up charges of murder in 2007. Moreta, 67, is at the Correctional Institute for Women (CIW). She has hypertension and heart ailment. Her husband Jesus, 69, who is at the National Bilibid Prisons (NBP) has hypertension and arthritis.
“The release of ailing political prisoners, all 53 of them, is long overdue and should be immediately implemented,” said Palabay. ###