The two-day old baby of political prisoner Andrea Rosal passed away at 5 p.m. today at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH), according to human rights group Karapatan.

Baby Diona Andrea was brought to the NICU due to hypoxemia or oxygen deficiency in the blood, was on artificial respirator and experienced seizures.

Then eight months pregnant, Rosal was arrested on March 27 by elements of the National Bureau of Investigation and the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (Isafp). She was detained several days at the NBI detention center and later transferred to Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City where she is facing allegedly trumped-up charges of murder and kidnapping.

Karapatan said that in Camp Bagong Diwa, Rosal was imprisoned in a 5-by-10 meter cell with 31 other inmates. “She did not receive any medical attention from jail authorities during her detention in Camp Bagong Diwa,” said Cristina Palabay, secretary-general of Karapatan.

Palabay also accused the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) of unreasonably delaying the transfer of Rosal to PGH.

“Andrea was experiencing uterine contractions since the evening of May 15, but she was brought back and forth from Camp Bagong Diwa and the PGH because BJMP authorities said there were no available room for her. She was finally admitted only the evening of May 16 and she finally gave birth on the morning of May 17,” said Palabay.

Her legal counsels from the National Union of People’s Lawyers filed urgent motions for the dismissal of the fabricated charges against Andrea as well as for her immediate hospitalization since the first week of April.

Karapatan blamed the military and other government agencies for the death of the two-day old baby.

“Their blatant disregard of the rights of Andrea, including her right to receive immediate medical care and be in an environment conducive for conceiving and delivering a healthy child, are apparent in this case. Walang puso ang gobyernong Aquino para sa mga ina at anak tulad ni Andrea at Diona Andrea,” said Palabay.

In a text message to Pinoy Weekly, women’s group Gabriela expressed anger over the news and said that justice must be served to the baby. They also called for the immediate release of Rosal.

“The AFP and the Aquino government virtually sentenced Baby Andrea to her death when they refused to grant earlier requests for hospital detention of her mother,” said Joms Salvador, secretary general of Gabriela.

Salvador added  that since the detention of Rosal two months ago, she has been living in poor conditions.  Salvador also pointed out the disparity between the treatment given to pork barrel scam queen Janet Napoles and Rosal.

“While Napoles who stole millions from the Filipino people is given preferential treatment and remains in the hospital weeks after her operation, Rosal was not allowed  access to medical services until she was about to give birth,” Salvador said.

Rosal is the daughter of the late Gregorio “Ka Roger Rosal,” long-time spokesperson of the Communist Party of the Philippines who passed away in 2011.