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Free Zenaida
Llesis!
Save her baby...
ZENAIDA LLESIS is a woman political prisoner who gave birth
while being detained at the Bukidnon Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation
Center. She is a suspected member of
the New People’s Army but falsely charged with common crimes. She is now a nursing mother to her sick
baby. Her baby girl is suffering from a
congenital heart disease.
She is known only
as “baby girl Llesis.” The
baby’s ‘name’ is listed in the medical chart of Northern Mindanao Medical Center. This baby girl was only 14 days old when
she became seriously ill and was referred by doctors of the Bukidnon Provincial
Hospital to Cagayan de Oro for further evaluation and management. The medical findings show that “baby girl
Llesis” has a congenital heart disease and a complex mass is arising in the
left lobe of her liver. Unlike other
ordinary children, “baby girl Llesis” spent the first days of her life
in a detention cell. Her mother is a
political prisoner.
Zenaida Llesis, the mother, is at her baby girl’s
bedside —and she wants to stay there as
long as her daughter needs hospital confinement.
But they are
heavily guarded. A platoon-size of
plainclothesmen believed to be under the 803rd Brigade of the
Philippine Army is usually seen roaming within the hospital premises. No, they are not concerned about the health
condition of the sick baby, these government operatives are wary that the
mother might escape.
Forty year-old
Zenaida was three months pregnant when she was arrested on August 5,
2002. She was complaining of vaginal
spotting and resting in a private residence at Rocky Village in Pangantucan,
Bukidnon when two truckloads of the elements of the 8th Infantry Battalion under Lt. Col. Glenn Macasero arrived at 10:30 in
the evening and arrested her without warrant.
She underwent tactical interrogation by the military up to the following
morning.
On August 6,
Zenaida was brought to Camp Evangelista in Cagayan de Oro. The pregnant captive again underwent
rigorous tactical interrogation. For
three days and three nights, she was in solitary confinement. Her detention aggravated her delicate
situation. She repeatedly appealed to
her interrogators to bring her to a hospital but her pleas were rejected. A military doctor visited her only
twice —during the interrogations inside
the camp. On the fourth day of
captivity, Zenaida was presented to the media.
According to the military, Zenaida is a suspected member of the New
People’s Army (NPA), and a murder case was charged against her.
On August 14,
Zenaida was transferred to the Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center
in Malaybalay, Bukidnon. Throughout her
detention, Zenaida experienced various
episodes of vaginal bleeding, nausea and vomiting.
On September 5, she
complained of severe stomach and pelvic
pain similar to premature contraction,
prompting the jail guard to rush her to the hospital. It was a case of threatened abortion.
On February 18,
2003, she gave birth to her baby
girl. A few days later, Zenaida’s baby
was diagnosed with a life-threatening
ailment. The baby was brought to
Bukidnon Provincial Hospital before she was referred to Northern Mindanao
Medical Center on March 5, 2003.
On June 4, the
regional trial court allowed Zenaida to post bail on the murder case charged
against her. But an archived multiple
murder case implicating her and 59
other suspected NPA members prevented Zenaida from realizing her provisional
liberty.
The mother and
child’s condition became doubly hard under a very hostile situation. Zenaida wants to always be with her baby
girl. But there are criminal charges
against her that threaten to take her away from her daughter. “Baby
girl Llesis” needs a more competent hospital facility. The girl’s
situation –if not immediately
given proper medical attention— could take this baby away from her mother
forever.
Zenaida, a nursing
mother to her sick baby and falsely charged with common crimes, must be
released from detention for humanitarian reasons. The situation of her baby girl requires a continuing medical
treatment from a competent medical institution… and all babies in this
situation need a tender loving care that only a mother can provide best.
Free Zenaida Llesis! Save her baby girl...
qPlease send your letters of appeal for the immediate and
proper medical treatment of Baby Girl Llesis and for the immediate release from
prison of her mother, Zenaida Llesis, on humanitarian grounds to:
H. E. PRESIDENT
GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO
Republic of the Philippines
Malacañang Palace
M a n i l a
e-mail:
[email protected] / [email protected]
Hon. PURIFICACION VALERA-QUISUMBING
Chairperson
Commission on Human Rights
UP Diliman Complex, Commonwealth Ave.,
Quezon City
e-mail: [email protected]
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
International Secretariat
1 Easton Street, London
United Kingdom
INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CROSS
5/F Erechem Bldg., Cor. Herrera & Salcedo Sts.,
Legaspi Village, Makati City, Philippines
Letters to the Editor:
Philippine
Daily Inquirer
Chino Roces Ave. cor Yague
& Mascardo Sts.,
Makati City
e-mail: [email protected]
Philippine
STAR
13th Railroad St., Port Area,
Manila
e-mail: [email protected]
TODAY
55 Paseo de Roxas, Makati
City
e-mail: [email protected]
q Donate and initiate income generating projects for the
hospitalization expenses of Baby Girl Llesis.
q Conduct forum, small group discussions and other forms of information dissemination activities and participate in various activities of “FREE ZENAIDA LLESIS! SAVE HER BABY…” Campaign.