A labor NGO praised today a court ruling that led to the release from prison of a veteran migrant advocate in Panay in July 7, three months after being arrested last Maundy Thursday, saying the junking of other trumped-up charges against her should immediately follow.

The Center for Trade Union and Human Rights (CTUHR) welcomed the release of Josephine Parra Porquia, 64, coordinator of Migrante, the biggest organization of Filipino migrants, after charges of illegal possession of materials for making explosives against her were dismissed by the courts.

“We are very glad that Porquia can now continue organizing families of migrants for migrant protection and decent jobs in the country. The junking of the charges against her is another distressing example of police and military personnels’ modus operandi of planting evidence against activists to ensure their imprisonment,” said Kamz Deligente, CTUHR executive director.

Porquia was arrested on April 2 in Pavia town of Iloilo province, together with Ma. Luisa Guillen, 62, a member of progressive women’s organization Gabriela who was released from prison earlier. https://ctuhr.org/releases/arrested-panay-women-activists-should-be-released-immediately-labor-ngo/

“While Porquia’s arrest is unjust and reprehensible, we are glad that she stayed in prison for a relatively short time. The courts have not been as fast in resolving similar charges that have caused the detention of political prisoners from the labor movement and progressive organizations,” Deligente added.

CTUHR said that with Porquia’s release, the number of political detainees from the labor movement has returned to 20. It said that a handful of these detainees were arrested in 2018 and are facing the government’s repressive combo of planted evidence and trumped-up charges.

“The remaining case against Porquia is one of those trademark charges that the government files against activists. While these cases are often junked by the courts, they harass activists or, worse, keep them in prison,” Deligente added.

Porquia is still facing a rebellion case which stems from an encounter between the Armed Forces of the Philippines or AFP and armed rebel group New People’s Army or NPA in August 2011. A Mambusao, Capiz court issued a warrant for her arrest based on this case.

“The courts have junked many similar charges before, often because so-called witnesses fail to credibly identify the accused during the armed clash. We hope that the charges against Porquia, and similar charges filed against political prisoners, are junked by the courts sooner than later,” Deligente stated.

Porquia is the wife of Jose Reynaldo “Jory” Porquia, who was a coordinator of umbrella organization Bagong Alyansang Makabayan or Bayan in the Panay region and a former Overseas Filipino Worker. He was extrajudicially killed while providing aid to poor communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.