Family, Rights Groups Urge Medical Care for Dominado

By Juliane Judilla

The family of detained activist Tomas Dominado Jr. and several human rights groups are calling on authorities to provide urgent medical care for the 74-year-old, who they claim has been denied proper treatment despite serious health issues.

Dominado, arrested on December 5, 2024, is accused of murder and rebellion and has been in police custody since his arrest. His family alleged that the Philippine National Police (PNP) delayed and denied medical care even after a physician recommended immediate treatment.

In a Facebook post, Dominado’s daughter, Tamara Michelle, expressed frustration over the treatment her father received.

“My father has been complaining of difficult breathing at the detention center for two days, and they have been delaying his medical treatment since Friday night,” she said.

Tamara shared that a doctor from Iloilo Doctor’s Hospital provided a medical certificate to police confirming Dominado’s urgent need for hospitalization. However, instead of taking him to the hospital, authorities transported him to Mambusao Regional Trial Court and later to Nanga Jail in Pototan, Iloilo.

A brief assessment at Pototan Provincial Hospital reportedly lasted five minutes, during which only his name was asked. According to the family, no vital signs or medical history were recorded, yet he was cleared for detention.

“This is unacceptable,” the family said. “A five-minute check-up with no thorough examination is a gross violation of his rights, especially considering his condition.”

Dominado is reportedly suffering from severe edema, low hemoglobin, and elevated creatinine levels, prompting concerns about his deteriorating health.

Human rights group Panay Alliance Karapatan condemned the PNP, specifically targeting Police Captain Benjie Dicen of Sooc Arevalo, for what they described as a “deliberate denial of urgent medical care.”

“The PNP’s actions are a glaring example of the state’s ongoing repression against activists and human rights defenders,” the group said in a statement.

Karapatan accused the police of violating both medical ethics and basic human rights, labeling Dominado’s treatment as an act of state repression.

Dominado, a former deputy secretary of the New People’s Army’s Komiteng Rehiyon-Panay and designated a terrorist by the Anti-Terrorism Council, is facing charges of rebellion and murder.

Despite these accusations, his family and human rights groups insist his rights to health and humane treatment must be upheld.

As of now, Dominado remains in custody at Nanga Jail, Pototan, Iloilo. His family and advocates are closely monitoring his condition and continue to demand urgent medical intervention.