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Bayugan court reinstates kidnapping, serious illegal detention raps vs doctor-activist

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ABS-CBN News

MANILA — The Department of Justice on Wednesday said the Bayugan court reinstated the kidnapping and serious illegal detention charges against activist health worker Dr. Maria Natividad “Naty” Castro.Bayugan City Regional Trial Court Judge Fernando Fudalan in March dismissed the case against Castro, 53, saying she had been denied due process after the state prosecutor failed to summon her to a preliminary hearing.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/31/22/court-junks-kidnap-case-vs-community-doctor-activist">Court junks kidnap case vs community doctor-activist</a></li></ul>But the new judge handling the case, Ferdinand Villanueva of the Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur RTC Branch 7, granted on June 16 prosecutors&#x27; motion for reconsideration and is set to issue an e-warrant against Castro, said the justice department. Villanueva said Castro was not denied due process as there had been a preliminary investigation and a summon was issued, though not served. The victim also supposedly identified Castro. The Bayugan court also said it acquired jurisdiction over Castro because of her arrest in San Juan in February.Double jeopardy will not apply because she has not yet been arraigned, the court said. Castro was accused of being part of the Communist Party of the Philippines&#x27; central committee.But her former employer, human rights monitor Karapatan, said the charges against Castro had been &quot;trumped up&quot; after she investigated alleged rights violations in Mindanao while also setting up community health centers there.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/19/22/grave-concern-raised-over-naty-castros-whereabouts">Rights groups, lawyers ‘gravely concerned’ over Naty Castro’s whereabouts</a></li></ul><div>— With reports from Mike Navallo and Johnson Manabat, ABS-CBN News; Agence France-Presse </div>

The DOJ said a court reinstated the kidnapping and serious illegal detention charge against activist health worker Dr. Maria Natividad 'Naty' Castro.