Vice-presidential aspirant Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan emphasized that doctors in the country should be honored instead of being detained for nonsensical charges.
Pangilinan made the statement following the arrest of Dr. Ma. Natividad Castro last week following accusations that she is an official of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) for providing medical assistance to the Lumad people
In a statement, Pangilinan joined Castro's former classmates and colleagues at the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) in showing their support for the arrested doctor.
He stressed that doctors like Castro are needed to ensure that medical services are given to everyone across the country.
"Kailangan si Doc Naty para ‘Dapat all may serbisyong medikal’ (Doc Naty is needed so everyone can enjoy medical services)," he said Monday, February 21.
"Bilang community doctor, frontliner siya para magamot ang mga nasa laylayan (As a community doctor, she is a frontliner for those who are on the fringes of society)," he added.
On February 18, police arrested Castro from her home in San Juan City purportedly on the basis of a warrant of arrest issued by the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 7 of Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur, for alleged kidnapping and serious illegal detention.
Pangilinan said that doctors' contributions to society should be celebrated instead of they being bombarded with trumped-up charges.
"Dapat itanghal ang mga doktor na pinipiling maglingkod sa pinaka walang-wala, hindi imbentuhan ng kung ano-anong paratang (We should hail these doctors who chose to serve the poorest of the poor instead of inventing charges against them)," he said.
According to Pangilinan, the authorities should have ensured due process in Castro's arrest.
"Isinasaad ng ating Saligang Batas na ALL Filipinos, merong karapatang sumailalim sa tamang proseso bago o habang hinuhuli (Our Constitution states that all Filipinos have the right to due process before or while they are being arrested)," he said.
"Hindi pwedeng hindi niya alam kung bakit siya hinuhuli o itago siya sa mga abogado niya at kaanak (It is not allowed to not inform her about the charges against her or hide her from lawyers and relatives)," he added.
The Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) has alleged that Castro was not allowed to see her legal counsel, including the lawyers from FLAG, as well as her sister who only wanted to bring her medication and test kits.