Article published on the People’s Health Movement website.
1. Who are Dr. Ana Rilloraza and Mr. Marc Mendiola?
Dr. Ana Rilloraza is a rare community medical practitioner, immediately choosing to go into Community Medicine to serve marginalized communities in the countryside straight out of medical school. Among her patients were indigenous peoples, rural poor communities, and those trapped in disaster-stricken and militarized areas. Part of her history of service included serving in the Mangyan communities of Oriental Mindoro, where she had also volunteered as early as her medical student days as a co-founder of the medical student organization PAGSAMA at the University of the Philippines – Manila College of Medicine, and in the Cordillera region during her time serving with the Community Health Education, Services, and Training in the Cordillera Region (CHESTCORE). She was also a faculty of the Department of Community Medicine of St. Louis University in Baguio, and served as a spokesperson for the Save the Abra River Movement (STARM), and brought local struggles, especially focused on wanton destruction of the environment due to massive mining, to global forums, including the People’s Health Movement forum in Mumbai, India in 2004 and the People’s Health Assembly in Cuenca, Ecuador in 2005.
Mr. Marc Mendiola is a community journalist, health worker, and advocate, who was known for his fearless documentation of human rights violations during the Arroyo administration, exposing injustice and uplifting oppressed voices. He served as the Chairperson of the College Editors Guild of the Philippines in Baguio-Benguet. After completing his psychology degree, he continued his service as a community health organizer and eventually became a coordinator for the Alliance of Health Workers Baguio-Benguet. His work included providing psychological first aid, mental health education, and steadfast support to health workers fighting for fair wages and humane working conditions.
More information on both of them are in the attached statement released by PHM Philippines. You can also access and follow the campaign page for their release on Facebook on the link below.
2. What happened?
Both health worker, Dr. Ana Marie Rilloraza, and community journalist Mr. Marc Arriane Mendiola, from networks of PHM Philippines have been unjustly arrested on March 11, 2026, in a joint operation by the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Army’s 5th Infantry Division.
The arrests were done due to fabricated, unbailable charges, with warrantless procedures. In a time when those who undertake alternative health systems is a rarity, and inaccessibility of services are rampant in far-flung communities, this is a criminalization of humanitarian and community service.
3. The Campaign
It has been weeks since their unjust arrest. In this light, we hope for your solidarity in the campaign to free them. You can do this by:
– Supporting the Facebook page and follow it here
– Join the SIGNATURE CAMPAIGN (https://forms.gle/UF12ybKB418y4DqWA) for the petition for their release
– Share the campaign with your networks
Humanitarian and Health work to the underserved should not be misconstrued as « terrorism »! Hands off our health workers – Free Doc Ana and Marc!
