Gov’t designates community doctor who helped Lumad as terrorist

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 31) — The Philippine government’s Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC) has designated as terrorist a community doctor who helped Lumad and poor communities in Mindanao.

According to the ATC’s new resolution released on Monday, Dr. Maria Natividad Marian "Naty" Silva Castro was designated as terrorist due to “probable cause” that she was allegedly involved in planning and facilitating “the commission of terrorism and recruitment” and in providing material support to terrorist groups.

“Verified information, sworn statements, and other evidence gathered by Philippine law enforcement and security agencies, affirmed that Maria Natividad Marian Silva Castro a.k.a. Doc Naty or Ka Naty, among her CPP aliases, violated Sections 6, 10 and 12 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (of 2000),” it added.

Castro may file a request for delisting from the terrorist list before the ATC within 15 days from the resolution’s publication.

The doctor was arrested in February last year for kidnapping and serious illegal detention charges. She was released after the court junked the cases a month later.

Health groups and human rights organizations denounced Castro’s arrest.

Reports said Castro helped establish health centers in Mindanao.