Aquino ‘fails’ detained health workers

BISHOPS of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) have taken aim at President Benigno Aquino III’s inaction on the case of 43 detained health workers who have been detained for almost a year now.

“The longer [the health workers] are in detention, the more the Aquino government is exposed as incapable of dispensing justice,” said Bishop Reuel Norman Marigza, UCCP general secretary.

“[We] will monitor and keep an eye on the case as we strongly believe that justice delayed is justice denied,” he added. One of the detained health workers, Dr. Alex Montes, is a UCCP member.

Bishop Marigza and eight other bishops sought an audience with Aquino early this month to lobby for the release of the health workers. They waited for about 45 minutes but the president did not meet the delegation.

Aquino officials who later met with the bishops for a dialogue told them that the president has left the issue to the courts to decide.

“We hope to see a speedy resolution of the case if not the unconditional and immediate release of the health workers as their continued detention has become a constant source of embarrassment before the international community,” said Father Rex Reyes Jr., general secretary of the National Council of Churches in the Philippines.

Nardy Sabino, general secretary of the Promotion of Church People’s Response, said the release of the health workers is the “best opportunity” for the government to “straighten a wrong.”

Report from ucanews.com