Rosal allowed to attend wake, not burial

MANILA, Philippines - The Pasig Regional Trial Court Branch 266, which is based in Taguig City, gave alleged New People’s Army (NPA) leader Andrea Rosal yesterday permission to visit her infant daughter’s wake in Manila.

Judge Toribio Ilao – citing humanitarian reasons – allowed Rosal, daughter of the late NPA spokesman Gregorio “Ka Roger” Rosal, to visit the wake of Diona Andrea at the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (Aglipayan Church) on Taft Avenue today from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

However, he denied Rosal’s request to attend her baby’s burial at her hometown in Ibaan, Batangas on Thursday.

In a four-page urgent ex-parte motion earlier filed before the court by her lawyers, Andrea asked the court’s permission saying that she remains “distressed, devastated, and inconsolable” when she was not given the chance to see her daughter after she gave birth at the Philippine General Hospital last May 17.

Rosal, wanted by a Quezon City court for murder, kidnapping and attempted homicide, was arrested in Caloocan City last March 27 and detained at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig.

Meanwhile, a Palace official said yesterday that government security forces are prepared for retaliatory attacks by communist rebels following the death of the elder Rosal’s granddaughter.

“The Armed Forces of the Philippines and our law enforcement authorities are fully prepared for that and can act swiftly on such situations,” Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said.

He also said Malacañang extends its condolences to the Rosal family. – Mike Frialde, Delon Porcalla