CPP says Dr. Naty Castro's arrest unlawful, calls for her release

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) on Saturday condemned the "unlawful arrest and unjust detention" of health worker Dr. Ma. Natividad "Naty" Castro by law enforcers, stressing she should be released immediately and charges against her should be dropped.

In a statement, CPP Information Officer Marco Valbuena said Castro was a victim of the President Rodrigo Duterte administration’s “war of terror against the people” and the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).

"The Party adds its voice to the immediate demand of human rights organizations, colleagues and friends of Dr. Castro for her immediate release and dropping of all trumped-up charges against her,” Valbuena said.

Dr. Naty's sister Menchi Castro told GMA News Online on Sunday morning that the family is coming out with a statement regarding the CPP's statement calling for the immediate release of her sister.

Naty was arrested on Friday by Philippine National Police (PNP) and Armed Forces intelligence operatives in Barangay San Perfecto, San Juan City on the basis of a warrant of arrest issued on January 30, 2020 by acting presiding judge Fernando Fudalan of the Regional Trial Court Branch 7 of Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur.

Police claimed that Castro is a ranking member of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and is facing kidnapping and serious illegal detention charges.

But the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) however said Castro has been red-tagged for her work.

Meanwhile, Valbuena said military red tagging against human rights defenders is “nothing new” and has been “repeatedly used by state forces to justify its campaign of extrajudicial killings, illegal arrest, and non-stop harassment against progressive social activists who have been critical of Duterte's tyrannical reign."

According to the CPP, Castro’s arrest may be linked with plans to “intensify attacks against patriotic and democratic forces to prevent them from effectively campaigning for the May elections and stifle their voices against efforts to steal the elections in favor of Duterte's candidates.”

On the other hand, the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) said Sunday they will pursue legal remedies against those who have red-tagged and continue to red tag Castro, and they will also secure her freedom or the immediate dismissal of the case against her.

CPP noted that as of December 2021, 712 political prisoners continue to languish in prison, 489 of which were arrested under the Duterte administration. —LBG, GMA News