Wife of suspected NPA seeks treatment from army doctors

By NINFA B. QUIRANTE (PIA Samar)
January 16, 2007

CATBALOGAN, Samar  –  Jaquilyn Velasco, 21, a mother of a four year-old son and wife of a suspected NPA sought the help of media practitioner Lady Camelot for her various illness.

It was lady reporter Lady Camelot who sought the help of the officers in 8th Infantry Division how Jaqui could be helped.

The patient is now confined at the Camp Lukban General Hospital where she is treated with PTB, skin tuberculosis and kwashiorkor, an extreme protein deficiency.

According to her doctor, Major Jorge Benavidez, Jaquilyn was very ill, weighing only like a child, when she was brought to the camp hospital, but the week-long treatment courtesy of San Jose de Buan Mayor Artemio Rebato, Dr. Yong and the 8th ID has yielded positive results, so far. Benavidez says if Jaqui will just be supported with proper food, medicines and vitamins and ample rest, she has a 90% of recovery and leading a normal life.

Although Jaqui does not admit her husband is an NPA, she is grateful to the army doctors for their help. On the day of the interview, 8th ID Information Officer Jose Mario Chico was laden with a tray of eggs reportedly for Jaqui’s consumption.

Jaqui said that she is aware of the NPA’s presence in her native town of San Jose de Buan but she said, her family has distanced themselves from the movement. She has known of the difficulties ‘they’ experience ‘uphill’. She said she has a friend there who has even returned to their barangay to live a normal life. She will never be convinced, she said, to join the NPA’s.

1st Lt. Chico was not surprised when he learned that Jaqui does not believe her husband is a member of the NPA.

“Even when caught red-handed, they still would not admit guilt, the lanky officer sighed.

“But to show them how we value life and their welfare, we welcomed her in the camp hospital and intend to keep her until she is strong enough to return to her child,” Chico offered.

Chico also added that he did not just decide on keeping the sick woman in their care. “I consulted with Commanding General Rodrigo Maclang who agreed to keep and treat the sick woman.”

As regards her husband, Jaqui just kept quiet and refused to answer questions regarding the fate of her husband.