Doctor who helped ‘lumad’ set up health centers arrested

Ma. Natividad Marian Castro —PHOTO FROM FACEBOOK OF JUN CASTRO

A health worker who helped “lumad” people set up community health centers was arrested by police for criminal charges, which her family said were all fabricated.

Dr. Ma. Natividad Marian “Naty” Castro, 53, was arrested on Friday by a composite team of police and military intelligence operatives in their home in Barangay San Perfecto, San Juan City.

According to a report from the headquarters of the Philippine National Police, the operatives served a warrant of arrest against Castro issued by Judge Fernando Fundalan of Branch 7 of the Regional Trial Court in Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur. It was dated Jan. 30, 2020.

She is an accused in Criminal Case No. 6527 for kidnapping and serious illegal detention, with the court recommending no bail for her release.

The PNP, in its statement on Friday, identified Castro as a member of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Central Committee, and head of the CPP-New People’s Army’s (NPA) national health bureau based in Barangay Libertad, Butuan City.

Fabricated charges

In a Facebook post on Friday, her older brother Jun Castro asked for help to get Castro out of detention.“My sister is accused of multiple charges of kidnapping and illegal detention, all related to her human rights advocacy. All untrue,” Jun said.

Human rights group Karapatan in the Caraga region also called for the release of Castro and for authorities to drop the fabricated charges against her.

On Nov. 20, 2020, tarpaulins tagging her and other human rights defenders as “communist NPAs” were put up in public places all over Caraga by suspected state agents, according to the group. Prior to this, Castro served as secretary general of Karapatan-Caraga.

A physician by profession, Castro was a health worker who has set up community health centers and programs in Mindanao.

Her brother Jun said that as a health worker, she served both the rich and the poor in various areas in Mindanao.

Karapatan-Caraga said Castro had long served the poor communities of Agusan del Norte, which don’t have access to health services.

Several years ago, Castro was among the delegation in the United Nations headquarters in Geneva where she accompanied the lumad who were victims of militarization. “She spoke there to seek help for the lumad people,” Jun said.

Castro graduated valedictorian in both grade school and high school at College of the Holy Spirit in Manila in 1982 and St. Scholastica’s College in Manila in 1986.

In 2016, she was awarded one of the 100 most outstanding alumni of St. Scholastica.

She graduated cum laude from the University of the Philippines College of Medicine in 1995.

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