Human rights group Karapatan Metro Manila, together with Bagong Alyansang Makabayan Quezon City, held a protest in front of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (QC RTC) today to denounce the illegal arrest and detention of union organizer Juan Alexander ‘Bob’ Reyes.
Filed against him were trumped-up charges of arson and illegal possession of firearms and explosives. A hearing on cases filed against Reyes was scheduled at the QC RTC today.
“Bob should be released immediately. The cases filed against him are obviously fabricated just like all the cases of every political prisoner. The state is maliciously vilifying activism and spreads fear among the people,” said Karapatan Metro Manila coordinator EJ Honorica. arson and illegal possession of firearms and explosives.
The group stated that the crackdown on activists, as well as ‘Oplan Rody’ against tambays (loiterers) is a manifestation of undeclared martial law in Metro Manila.
“It is clear that we are living in quasi-Marcosian times,” Honorica said.
The group believed that the arrest of Reyes and other unionists across the country is an attempt of the government to weaken the intensifying workers’ struggle for their democratic rights, higher wages, and against contractualization.
Prior to Reyes’ arrest, “Bob actively took part in the campaign to end all forms of contractualization and that is not a criminal act,” Honorica said.
The group also slammed the attacks on the labor movement and considers these “fascist offensives that contradict the declaration of the government’s commitment to peace and that also breed resistance of the people.”
Karapatan also expressed disapproval in the Duterte government’s refusal to free more than 503 political prisoners slapped with trumped-up charges.
The group stated that the crackdown on activists, especially on the workers’ organizations, impedes the resumption of the peace negotiations between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the National Democratic Front (NDF).
The group also called for the immediate resumption of peace talks despite the government’s move to postpone it for three months.
“The government always circumvents the issue by maliciously accusing the revolutionary movement ‘violations’ they did not commit. Socio-economic reforms meant more than a stand-down agreement,” Honorica said.
