“Anak, sana paglabas mo, huwag mong kalimutan ang mga taong tumulong sa iyo at saka ang pamilya mo. Maging mabait ka, anak, sa paglabas mo. Tulong-tulong pa rin tayo sa mga kaibigan mo,” said 73-year-old Virginia Reyes, mother of long-time labor activist Juan Alexander ‘Bob’ Reyes.
On October 20, the Quezon City Regional Trial Court acquitted Bob Reyes in an illegal possession of explosives case, the 14th and final case which kept him behind bars in Camp Bagong Diwa for more than eight years.
Bob attended the promulgation virtually, allowing Virginia to see her son’s face as he learned of the acquittal. Virginia further recalled how difficult it was for their family during the first days of his arrest
“Noong nahuli siya, palagi akong dumadalaw. Hirap na hirap ako. Yung pambaon ko sa kanya kasi wala naman akong trabaho. Kaya malaki ang pagpapasalamat ko sa mga tumulong para sa anak ko,” she said.
Bob was arrested by five operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in Barangay San Antonio, Quezon City in 2018.
Other cases filed against Bob included arson and murder in Agusan del Norte and Surigao del Sur, stemming from allegations implicating him in armed encounters between the New People’s Army and the military. In 2019, he was also acquitted of illegal possession of firearms in the same court in Quezon City.
During the promulgation, the court found that the prosecution failed to establish the existence of the alleged evidence against him.
“The inventory of seized items did not include a blasting cap and a sachet allegedly containing a substance from a detonating cord, although these were later mentioned in the information filed against him,” it added.
Bob is the convenor of Defend Job Philippines and coordinator of Sandigan ng Manggagawa sa Quezon City (SMQC), championing labor rights and welfare.
Free all political prisoners
Prior to his arrest, Bob had been subjected to harassment, threats, and red-tagging following his work as a labor activist.
In 2015, he and three other unionists from COURAGE filed for writs of amparo and habeas data before the Court of Appeals but were ultimately disregarded. They were later arrested and charged with similar offenses of illegal possession of firearms and explosives.
“Hindi maaalis ang katotohanang walong taon ng buhay ni Bob ang ipinagkait sa kanya upang makasama ang pamilya at ang mga manggagawang inoorganisa niya. Hindi rin natatapos sa pag-acquit ang pagpapanawagan ng hustisya mula sa ilegal na pag-aresto hanggang sa samu’t saring delays sa kanyang proseso ng paglilitis,” Sandigan ng Manggagawa sa Quezon City wrote in a statement.
Under the Marcos Jr. administration, Kilusang Mayo Uno National Capital Region spokesperson Chito Guevarra shared how union-busting and red-tagging remain dangerous for labor activists being accused of links to the NPA.
For Chito and other labor groups, Bob’s acquittal underscored the justice system being weaponized against activists, workers, and human rights defenders.
“Tumagal siya ng walong taon at mayroon pang mga bilanggong pulitikal na magpahanggang ngayon ay sinampahan din ng gawa-gawang kaso. Kaya hindi rito nagtatapos ang panawagan para sa pagpapalaya sa ating mga bilanggong pulitikal,” he said.
