Palace says Doc Naty's arrest 'not a case of red-tagging'; 'due process' followed
Malacañang on Tuesday, Feb. 22, denied that the arrest of Dr. Natividad "Doc Naty" Castro is a case of red-tagging as the arrest warrant was issued by the local court and "proper procedures" were followed in the case.

In a virtual Palace press briefing, Cabinet secretary and acting presidential spokesperson Karlo Nograles said Castro's arrest was made by virtue of an arrest warrant as stated in the facts of the case.
"The arrest was made by virtue of an arrest warrant issued by a regional trial court (RTC) for serious illegal detention and kidnapping. So there is a specific crime that was the cause of the warrant of arrest issued by the RTC," Nograles explained.
He also insisted that authorities did not violate the law as Castro's case, leading to her arrest, all followed the proper procedure.
"Dumaan po ito ng proseso ng investigation ng prosecutor (It went through the process of investigation by the prosecutor) and at every avenue and at every opportunity nabigyan po ang mga abogado ng pagkakataon (the lawyers were given the opportunity) – they had all opportunities to contest it from the point of preliminary investigation," Nograles emphasized.
"If they did not agree with the findings ng prosecutor, they also had legal remedies after that hanggang dumating na nga sa korte at finile at sinampa sa korte (until it reached and filed in court)," he added.
Castro, a volunteer doctor and human rights advocate known for starting community health centers for the Lumads in Mindanao, was arrested by members of the PNP and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) last Friday, Feb. 18, at her home in San Juan City for alleged ties to the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA).
She was arrested on the basis of a warrant issued by the RTC Branch 7 of Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur, accusing her of kidnapping and serious illegal detention. The warrant was dated Jan. 30, 2020.
Meanwhile, Nograles echoed Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año's statement to allow the "judicial process to proceed and take its rightful course."
"The accused shall be entitled to every legal remedy available in her defense and she already has a battery of topnotch lawyers," he added.