FASTING FILIPINO WAR VETERAN IN HOSPITAL.Byline: Yvette Cabrera and Leilani Albano Daily News Staff Writers One of two Filipino veterans on hunger strike hunger strike, refusal to eat as a protest against existing conditions. Although most often used by prisoners, others have also employed it. For example, Mohandas Gandhi in India and Cesar Chavez in California fasted as religious penance during otherwise political or in MacArthur Park was hospitalized Saturday night two weeks after going on a fast to demand military benefits for Filipino veterans. Showing signs of dehydration and exhaustion, 72-year-old Angel de la Cruz de la Cruz is a common surname in the Spanish language meaning 'of The Cross.'
In the United States:
De la Cruz and fellow veteran Orencio Salem began their hunger strike June 15, the same day 10 to 15 other Filipino veterans chained themselves to a statue of Gen. Douglas MacArthur. Doctors advised de la Cruz to end the hunger strike Friday, said Gina Inocencio, a job and housing specialist with the Filipino American Service Group, a social service agency that has been aiding the protesters since the strike began. ``I saw him stand up last night and he seemed fine, but I came back again today and he was oblivious to everything going on,'' said Inocencio. ``He is really dehydrated de·hy·drate v. de·hy·drat·ed, de·hy·drat·ing, de·hy·drates v.tr. 1. To remove water from; make anhydrous. 2. To preserve by removing water from (vegetables, for example). , his pulse is really low, and he's not moving at all so the nurse was trying to wet his lips with a napkin.'' The Filipino veterans are demanding that Congress restore benefits, such as health care, promised to the Filipinos who fought on behalf of the United States in World War II. In 1946, Congress passed the Rescission The abrogation of a contract, effective from its inception, thereby restoring the parties to the positions they would have occupied if no contract had ever been formed. By Agreement Act which stripped military benefits from Filipino soldiers who had fought alongside Americans. CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO Veteran Angel de la Cruz sheds tears during a demonstration in MacArthur Park last week for Filipinos who fought in World War II. Associated Press |
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