The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has expressed concern over the "alleged lapses in procedure" in the arrest by the Philippine National Police (PNP) of health worker Dr. Natividad "Naty" Castro on Feb. 18 in San Juan City.

The CHR said the arresting officers reportedly declined to show proper identification, denied her access to counsel, and refused to tell her family where they intended to take her.

"Should these allegations prove to be true, arresting officers are not only liable for violation of PNP’s operations procedure, but also in violation of the rights of persons arrested and detained under Republic Act No. 7438," the CHR said in a statement.

RA 7438 is the law that “defines rights of persons arrested, detained or under custodial investigation and the duties of the arresting, detaining and investigating officers, and providing penalties for violations.”

Section 2 (a) of RA 7438 provides that “any person arrested detained or under custodial investigation shall at all times be assisted by counsel.”

Paragraph (b) of the same section states:

“Any public officer or employee, or anyone acting under his order or his place, who arrests, detains or investigates any person for the commission of an offense shall inform the latter, in a language known to and understood by him, of his rights to remain silent and to have competent and independent counsel, preferably of his own choice, who shall at all times be allowed to confer privately with the person arrested, detained or under custodial investigation.

“If such person cannot afford the services of his own counsel, he must be provided with a competent and independent counsel by the investigating officer.”

The CHR said Castro's arrest "sends a chilling effect not only to community workers, but also to doctors serving in rural areas engaged in development work ... to do what’s best for their patients."

It declared: "Our position is clear: we condemn all forms of rebellion and acts contrary to the country’s peace and development. Time and again we have condemned armed atrocities by rebel and terrorist groups and actions that seek to sow discord on the lives of civilians and destabilize the country.”

"This, however, does not mean that it countenances human rights abuses perpetrated by non-state actors," it stressed.

Reports stated that Castro had been red-tagged because of her work as a human rights and development worker.

She is an alumna of the University of the Philippines Manila College of Medicine Class of 1995 and served as a community physician for Indigenous People. She even helped set up community health centers and programs in the rural areas in Mindanao.

Castro, who once served as the secretary-general of rights group Karapatan in the Caraga region, also brought members of the Lumad community before the United Nations in Geneva to address harassment cases in their areas.