The Center for Trade Union and Human Rights (CTUHR) welcomes the decision of the Manila Prosecutor’s Office to junk the case filed by Manila policemen against activist leaders, most of whom who are running for the 2025 elections, over the skirmishes during the Bonifacio Day protests last year. The ruling is a win for workers’ and Filipinos’ right to peaceful assembly.

In a resolution dated January 27, 2025, Senior Assistant City Prosecutor Wilbur M. Arimboyutan and Deputy City Prosecutor Ignacio V. Manotok Jr dismissed the case against 13 activist leaders for lack of evidence. The ruling stated that the police complaint did not present evidence that the activist leaders were the actual organizers of the protest. Moreover, it argued that the incidents of commotion during the protest were isolated and that the protest overall was peaceful.

We are glad that the Manila Prosecutor’s Office clarified that mere participation in a protest does not mean leadership of it and violation of the Public Assembly Act of 1985 or Batas Pambansa 880. This should serve as a warning to those who want to legally harass activist leaders based on confrontations during protests.

More importantly, we are glad that the Manila Prosecutor’s Office clarified that “instances of commotion… are expected in a mass rally” and do not mean that the protests of which they are part must automatically be considered as no longer peaceful. This understanding is closer to reality than that of the police complainants.

The junking of the case shows that even Manila policemen, who regularly face protests in their area of responsibility, have to be educated about the law and the rights of workers and Filipinos. They should stop filing cases like this, the only effect of which is harassing activist leaders, which is also a rights violation.

Accused in the case were Vladimir Queta of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT), Cristy Donguines of the Alliance of Health Workers (AHW), Amirah Lidasan of the Moro-Christian People’s Alliance (MCPA), Mody Floranda of the Pagkakaisa ng mga Tsuper at Operators Nationwide (PISTON), and Mimi Domingo of the Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay).

Also accused were Danilo Ramos of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), Liza Maza of Gabriela, Jerome Adonis of the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), Ronnel Arambulo of the Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya), Jocelyn Andamo of the Filipino Nurses United (FNU), Arlene Brosas of the Gabriela Women’s Party, and Ferdinand Gaite of Bayan Muna Partylist.

Most of the aforementioned are running as senators or as partylist representatives in the May elections. The complainants, meanwhile, were PCpt Joemir Juhan, PLt Dean Mark B. Regala, and PSSg Jeremiah L. Perales.