Karapatan decries arrest of Ka Roger’s pregnant daughter

The late New People’s Army spokesman Gregorio “Ka Roger” Rosal in an INQUIRER file photo. His daughter, Andrea, was arrested by the NBI on Thursday. FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Human rights group Karapatan on Friday condemned the arrest of the pregnant daughter of the late communist leader Gregorio “Ka Roger” Rosal.

Cristina Palabay, Karapatan secretary general, said that paralegals were not allowed to have access to the arrested Andrea Rosal and her companion, Rafael de Guzman, and Barangay Captain Ruben Gatchalian.

“They were later allowed entry with the lawyer for less than an hour late last night,” Palabay said.

Andrea, along with two others, were arrested in Caloocan City on Thursday morning.

The military said the arrest was based on an arrest warrant for cases of murder and kidnapping in Quezon.

“Karapatan condemns this yet another deceitful move by the Aquino administration to sabotage the peace process by illegally arresting individuals, including the daughter of a known personality of the [Communist Party of the Philippines], and denying the right to have access to human rights organizations of those arrested. Mana-mana na lang ba ang mga kaso ngayon?” Palabay added.

Ka Roger, former spokesman of the New People’s Army Southern Luzon Command, died in 2011.

Andrea is pregnant and is due next month. Karapatan asked for her “immediate release” and that she be given proper medical care and attention.

“We demand that the [National Bureau of Investigation] and all security forces involved in this highly questionable operation respect the rights of Rosal, Gatchalian and Rosal’s companion to access to counsel, their relatives and human rights organizations,”  Palabay said.

Last Saturday, Communist Party of the Philippines chief Benito Tiamzon and his wife Wilma were arrested, along with five other top leaders of the Maoist insurgency movement.

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