Lawmaker eyes probe on Rosal baby's death

MANILA,  Philippines - A legislator, whose husband has been jailed and facing plunder charges, has called for a probe into the plight of pregnant women, who are facing trial,to eliminate discrimination against them and their unborn child.

Cavite Rep. Lani Mercado-Revilla sought the inquiry through House Resolution 1161 following the death last month of the newborn baby of Andrea Rosal, an alleged communist leader and daughter of the late New People’s Army spokesman Gregorio “Ka Roger” Rosal.

“The right of Rosal to be presumed innocent until proven guilty was trampled upon and which may have resulted in the untimely death of her Baby Diona Andrea,” said Mercado-Revilla, the wife of Senator Ramon Revilla Jr.,who is now detained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center for pork barrel case before the Sandiganbayan.

She said Congress should probe on how to remove discrimination against detained pregnant women who are undergoing trial and are due to give birth while behind bars to protect and safeguard the rights of the mother and the unborn child.

Rosal was arrested on March 27 on charges of kidnapping and murder. The seven-month pregnant Rosal on April 13 was then brought to her detention cell at Camp Bagong Diwa, where, she said, she was deprived of due medical attention.

On May 16, Rosal gave birth to Diona Andrea at the Philippine General Hospital. The baby, however, died three days later owing to oxygen deficiency in the blood.

The Taguig Regional trial Court Branch 266 allowed Rosal to attend her daughter’s wake on May 21 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. but denied her request to attend the baby’s burial on May 25.

Mercado-Revilla reminded the government that the Philippines became a signatory to the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) on July 17, 1980, which it subsequently ratified on July 19, 1981, thus becoming the first ASEAN country to do so.

Article 2 of CEDAW, according to her, provides “States Parties condemn discrimination against women in all its forms, agree to pursue by all appropriate means and without delay a policy of eliminating discrimination against women.”

Mercado-Revilla also cited Article 3 of CEDAW mandates “States Parties shall take in all fields, in particular in the political, social, economic and cultural fields, all appropriate measures, including legislation, to ensure the full development and advancement of women, for the purpose of guaranteeing them the exercise and enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedom on a basis of equality with men.”

She said the Constitution mandates the respect for human rights (Article II, Section 11), the protection of the life of the mother and the life of the unborn from conception (Article II, Section 12), and protection and promotion of the right to health of the people (Article II, Section 15).