The Center for Trade Union and Human Rights (CTUHR) celebrates the release from prison of a labor leader from the Southern Tagalog region who was arrested in October 2024 based on trumped-up charges. It is calling on the Ferdinand Marcos Jr government to immediately release the other 18 political detainees from the labor movement in the country.

Gavino Panganiban, director for campaigns of the Pagkakaisa ng mga Manggagawa sa Timog Katagalugan (PAMANTIK), regional chapter of national labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU, May First Movement), was released from prison this month after the Infanta, Quezon Regional Trial Court junked the trumped-up murder charge filed against him.

The Philippine Army’s 2nd Infantry Division (2ID) and the Philippine National Police’s Southern Police District (SPD) carried out the arrest of Panganiban and Maritess David, labor organizer of the Organized Labor Association in Line Industry and Agriculture (OLALIA), a federation also belonging to the KMU, in their residence in Pililia St., Brgy. Valenzuela, Makati City.

Panganiban’s case shows the fate of many labor organizers and leaders in the country. They are arrested based on trumped-up charges and stay in prison for years until the charges are eventually junked by the courts. Their arrest and detention are simply unjust and are violations of their right to political participation, and ultimately of workers’ right to freedom of association and other labor rights.

Panganiban’s release from prison should be followed by the release of 18 political prisoners from the labor movement. Most of them were arrested and detained during the Rodrigo Duterte regime, and President Marcos Jr has refused to rectify his predecessor’s crime on this issue, and has even imprisoned political detainees, such as Panganiban and David, during his term.

In the Southern Tagalog region alone, the following labor organizers and leaders remain in prison: Maritess David, Marlon Torres, Tess Dioquino, Nedo Lagunias, Steve Mendoza, Benny Hilamon and Nolan Ramos. Also still in prison are the following: Maoj Maga, Bob Reyes, Oliver Rosales, Adelberto Silva, Romina Astudillo, Mark Ryan Cruz, Jayme Gregorio, Joel Demate, Jose Puansing, Pauline Banjawan and Felixberto Consad.

The first to be arrested in this list is Maoj Maga, who has been in detention since February 22, 2018. The murder charges filed against him are so absurdly numerous and pertain to incidents in places where he has not even visited. The charge of illegal possession of firearms and explosives filed against him has already been junked by the courts for lack of evidence.

It is revolting to the Filipino workers and their advocates that the Marcos Jr regime has so far failed to hold to account corrupt contractors and politicians who have been exposed in recent corruption scandals. At the same time, the regime has refused to release from detention labor organizers and leaders whose only crime is empowering workers so they can claim their labor and human rights.