Step in on Morong 43 case - Maza urges PGMA

"She cannot stay silent," Makabayan-Senatorial candidate Liza Maza on Thursday slammed Malacanang's declaration that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo chose to distance herself from the Morong 43 case.

"As Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Philippines, President Arroyo has responsibility over the actions of her men, especially their mistakes. She cannot stay in the sidelines and watch her men commit atrocities against innocent civilians because that would be a violation of her constitutional duty as the chief protector of human rights," Maza said.

Maza demanded that the president immediately step in on the Morong 43 case.

"A human rights violation is a human rights violation. There is nothing small and insignificant in the Morong 43 case that does not warrant the attention of the President," Maza said.

Maza challenged President Arroyo to use the power vested upon her by the people to stop the torture of and urgently release the health workers.

The three term representative of Gabriela also warned the president against covering up for the errors of her men in the military which has been the practice ever since she came to power in 2001.

"As long as she is in power, the injustice done against the Morong 43 will be repeated over and over," she said. ###