Two church health workers arrested
By Media Mindanao News Service
(August 15, 1987 News Digest Volume 1, August 1987-July 1988 Posted by Davao Today)
KIDAPAWAN, North Cotabato (MMNS) — Two health workers, one of them a Dutch volunteer, of the diocese were arrested August 8 by military men, a belated report reaching MMNS said.
Margi Zwart, 28, a nurse, and Phoebes Dacles, 24 were apprehended at 8 a.m. in Nueva Vida, M’lang town. Zwart and Dacles are with the Kidapawan diocese Primary Health Care program.
The two were released late afternoon the same day under the custody of Fr. Armando Castello, O.M.I.
Zwart and Dacles were on their way to give a health seminar when arrested by elements of the Alpha company of the 3rd Infantry battalion under a Captain Cardos. A copy of the receipt of arrest given them said the arrest was conducted on “suspicion of possession of subversive documents and medicines from the Peole’s Republic of China.” The receipt also indicated that Zwart and Dacles might be recalled for another round of investigation.
Things confiscated from the victims included notes of English to Cebuano translation, a manual of body health, a song book in Dutch language and 11 small bottles of Polar Bear. Polar Bear is a liquid medicine imported from China which can be bought from drugstores.
Zwart, who started working only last July, and Dacles said they were subjected to “incriminating interrogation” that was designed to make them appear rebels. (Media Mindanao News Service News Digest Volume 1, August 1987-July 1988 Posted by Davao Today)
