In commemoration of the World Day of Social Justice, labor groups and kin of political prisoners troop to the Department of Justice to lambast the continuing attacks and human rights violations endured by the labor sector.
After the mobilization, the groups organized a forum to relaunch the Free Our Unionists (FOU) Network which aims to unite all labor rights advocates organizers, and unionists to assert their call for justice and the immediate release of political prisoners. Established in 2018, FOU was a response to the series of arrests, illegal detention, and killings in the labor sector in different regions of the country.
The network reported that out of 755 political prisoners, 25 are labor organizers and unionists—20 men and 5 women—who languish behind bars due to trumped-up charges.
“The DOJ cannot simply wash its hands because of such delays to these trumped-up charges filed against unionists which stemmed from their own jurisdiction as they are the ones behind this. They cannot turn a blind eye to the presumption of regularity in police operations, to the piles of fabricated cases without any evidence or witnesses that the prosecution and DOJ can present,” said Eleanor de Guzman, wife of political prisoner Maoj Maga.
De Guzman added that instead of upholding justice, state agents continue to weaponize the law by manufacturing false charges, forging legal documents, and fabricating accusations against activists and unionists.
The Center for Trade Union and Human Rights, Inc. (CTUHR) further emphasized a recurring pattern or trend in the charges filed against political prisoners, ranging from murder and illegal possession of firearms and explosives to terrorism financing, alleged involvement in gun-running syndicates, violations of the Anti-Terror Law (ATL), and direct assault. In addition to these fabricated charges, political prisoners endure harsh jail conditions, including inadequate food, poor ventilation, and limited access to healthcare. They also face restricted visitation rights and constant intimidation.
Meanwhile, kin of detained labor unionists also shared their messages.
“In the seven years of Bob’s detention, it is as if he has already served the minimum sentence due to the slow progress of the case and, of course, the difficulty that it is filed in a location where it is hard to visit like in Mindanao,” said Mary Reyes, the wife of Juan Alexander ‘Bob’ Reyes.
In the National Capital Region, five labor organizers remain in detention including Reyes and four of the Human Rights Day 7 namely Romina Astudillo, Jaymie Gregorio, Mark Ryan Cruz, and Joel Demate.
“This (FOU relaunch) is an important opportunity to humanize our loved ones, to show that they are fathers, husbands, and not just faceless names. They are human beings, unionists who stand for and amplify workers’ rights.” Mary emphasized.
