Lady lawmaker wants probe on death of Andrea Rosal’s baby

Cavite Representative Lani Mercado. Ryan Leagogo/INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Cavite Representative Lani Mercado-Revilla has joined her fellow lawmakers in probing the treatment of a controversial detainee.

Revilla filed House Resolution 1161, seeking inquiry on the condition of Andrea Rosal in jail and the subsequent death of her newborn. Rosal was accused by the military of being a communist leader like her father, the late New People’s Army spokesperson Gregorio “Ka Roger” Rosal.

“The right of Rosal to be presumed innocent until proven guilty was trampled upon and which may have resulted in the untimely death of her Baby Diona Andrea,” the lawmaker said in a statement.

She said detained pregnant women should not be discriminated upon and should be cared for “to protect and safeguard the rights of the mother and the unborn child.”

Revilla pointed out that the Philippines is a signatory of the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). But in the case of Rosal, she was prohibited from attending the burial of her daughter last May 25.

The solon added that Rosal was seven months pregnant when she was arrested on March 27, 2014 but she was immediately brought to Camp Bagong Diwa and was allegedly deprived of due medical attention.

Rosal’s lawyers recently asked the court to sanction jail officials who allegedly pushed for her transfer from a hospital back to jail despite the recommendation of her doctors.

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