Criminalizing Labor, Protecting Capital: APCHRP Condemns State Repression of Filipino Workers
The Asia Pacific Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines strongly condemns the Philippine National Police and the US-Marcos regime for issuing a warrant of arrest against labor leader Jerome Adonis of Kilusang Mayo Uno (May First Movement) and Ms. Jacq Ruiz of the Women Workers’ Movement (KMK). They have been falsely charged with violating Article 153 of the Revised Penal Code, which could result in imprisonment and a fine for this “tumult and other disturbances of public order.”
This warrant stemmed from the May 1 rally held last year, an annual protest by workers for higher wages and humane working conditions, and against the repression of trade unions. The rally drew 30,000 protesters and was incident-free. If a commotion occurred during a peaceful march, the Philippine National Police, which is always causing these disturbances, would arbitrarily arrest the activists.
The trumped-up charges filed against labor leader Ka Jerome and Ms. Jacq Ruiz only serve the interests of the bureaucratic capitalist, big foreign business, and the US imperialists who exploit Filipino workers and destroy the environment for profit.
Filipino workers have long suffered from low wages, and the government is not heeding calls for a 1200 family living wage that will suffice for the needs of the Filipino family. Just when the Marcos Regime promised on July 27 to give an additional wage of 85 pesos in Metro Manila, this meager additional wage has been suspended by the Pasig Regional Trial Court due to protests from companies. The Marcos Regime has no urgency and merely follows this restraining order by the RTC. This shows that the Marcos Jr. regime has no interest in the plights of the workers and is merely a puppet of these private companies.
This repression of trade unions in the Philippines has long existed, ranging from suppressing wage increases and illegally arresting labor leaders to forcibly disappearing leaders. One notable case is the enforced disappearance of William Lariosa in April 2024 in Brgy. Butong, Quezon, Bukidnon. William Lariosa has been a staunch defender of workers’ rights since 1993. Another notable case of enforced disappearance is James Jazmines, a labor organizer, and Felix Salveria, who were abducted on August 23, 2024, in Bicol; to date, they remain missing. This shows that state agents, mercenary militaries, and courts are machinery for the further exploitation of workers.
Instead of addressing the persistent problems of Filipino workers, the US-Marcos Regime will take any measures just to protect the interests of the corporation. Amid the ongoing call to stop Pax Silica – a project that will displace hundreds of farmers and indigenous people in Tarlac and other places in the Philippines where a big mining corporation is present. These fascist attacks will only make Filipino lives even more dire.
APCHRP calls on the international community, peace-loving organizations, human rights organizations, and all labor unions across the Asia-Pacific region to intensify their support in exposing and opposing these neoliberal attacks for Filipino workers to defeat the imperialist agenda worldwide.
Junk the trumped-up charges of Ka Jerome Adonis and Jacq Ruiz!
Stop criminalizing labor! End political repression of workers!
