Free our Unionists!

December 10, 2024

There are currently 25 activists of the country’s labor movement – unionists, labor leaders, labor organizers – who are in prison. 

Almost all of them share the same story: certain alleged witnesses file trumped-up charges against them. On that basis, courts release warrants for their arrest or for a search of their residences. Upon serving those warrants, the police and the military claim that they found guns, ammunitions and explosives in their possession. The activists are then imprisoned for illegal possession of said weapons, as well as the original trumped-up charges filed against them.

Many of the trumped-up charges against activists are related to military offensives carried out by the armed rebel group New People’s Army (NPA). The alleged witnesses are usually forced by, or in cahoots with, the police and the military. They claim that they saw labor activists carry out the military attacks. In the government’s efforts to defeat the NPA, it has been repressing labor and other organizations which it accuses of being supporters of the rebel group. It is filing cases against individuals who are not at all related to the crime that it wants them to be imprisoned for. 

Most of the political prisoners from the labor movement were imprisoned under the highly-repressive presidency of Rodrigo Duterte. The current government of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, however, has not taken any decisive action to effect their immediate release from prison and to stop the arrest and imprisonment of labor activists based on trumped-up charges.

Date of ArrestNameOrganization
February 22, 2018Marklen Maojo MagaKilusang Mayo Uno (KMU)
June 2, 2018Alexander “Bob” ReyesConfederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (COURAGE)
August 11, 2018Rowena & Oliver RosalesConfederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (COURAGE)
October 15, 2018Adelberto Silva 
Ireneo Atadero 
Julio Lusania
Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU)
March 20, 2019Renante GamaraKilusang Mayo Uno (KMU)
April 9, 2019John Griefen Arlegui,
Reynaldo Remias Jr.
Sining Kadamay
September 17, 2019Antonietta DizonConfederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (COURAGE)
September 18, 2019Bienvenido DucayNational Federation of Sugar Workers (NFSW)
June 9, 2020Gaspar DavaoNational Federation of Sugar Workers (NFSW)
December 10, 2020Romina Astudillo 
Mary Ryan Cruz 
Jayme Gregorio
KMU-NCR
December 10, 2020Joel DemateSolidarity of Labor for Rights and Welfare (SOLAR)
March 4, 2021Arnedo LaguniasAlyansa ng Manggagawa sa Engklabo (AMEN, Alliance of Enclave Workers)
March 7, 2021Esteban MendozaOrganized Labor Association in Line  Industries and Agriculture (OLALIA-KMU)
June 2, 2021Ma. Teresa Dioquino 
Marlon Angelo Torres 
Benny Hilamon 
Nolan Ramos
KMU, PAMANTIK-KMU
October 7, 2024Jose PuansingPaghili-usa sang mga Obrero sa Brgy. Jonobjonob (United Workers of Jonobjonob Village)
October 29, 2024Marites DavidOLALIA-KMU
October 29, 2024Gavino PanganibanPAMANTIK-KMU