In accordance to Sec. 16 of the Republic Act 10028 also known as the “Breastfeeding Awareness Month”, the Association for the Rights of Children in Southeast Asia (ARCSEA) along with PGH Doctors, Breastfeeding and Child Rights Advocates, visited Judilyn Oliveros and her baby last August 31 at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) after the Morong Regional Trial Court granted her plea on the 25th of August for the continuation of her breastfeeding for only a period of three months in the hospital.
Judilyn Oliveros is one of the 43 Health Workers who were arrested last February 6 while undergoing community health training at Morong, Rizal. She was four months pregnant at that time when they were illegally arrested, tortured, and detained at Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal before they were transferred to Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan. Judilyn gave birth to a baby boy last July at the PGH on a Caesarian delivery. Less than a month after giving birth she was sent back to jail with her new born baby.
During the actual day of our visit, there were four BJMP police officers guarding Judilyn at the hospital. Three policemen were staying outside the room to search and log the names of the visitors, while one female officer, who stays inside her room, is in-charge to do the search to female visitors. Only five persons per hour who must have an identification card are allowed to stay in the room to visit Judilyn and her baby.
Judilyn remains subject to incarceration after her three-month stay in PGH while there is still no clear decision whether the baby will be staying with her or not. What’s apparent is the violation of Baby Billy Oliveros’ basic right to freedom, a healthy and peaceful environment, and his proper nutrition and care from his mother. Judilyn is treated like a common criminal. She is roughly being punished, together with her child, by the government which causes so much spleen not only to her family and colleagues but also to child rights advocates and breastfeeding advocates.
It is very painful to imagine the inhumane condition that Judilyn and Baby Billy Oliveros is experiencing. This only manifest that the new government remains uncommitted with the vast and growing number of victims of human rights violations in our country. Nonetheless, the resentment that Judilyn feels together with the remaining hundreds of political detainees and their families and also the people, who believe that injustices must end, should unite and stand and continually assert for freedom.