Philippines: Arresting spree mars Human Rights Day

Philippine trade unions affiliated with BWI marked International Human Rights Day on 10 December by holding different activities to push for the elimination of gender-based violence at homes and workplaces, and protect labour rights amidst the implementation of the country’s draconian Anti-terror Law.

The different efforts were part of BWI’s 16 Days of Trade Union Activism on Violence against Women and the Filipino trade unions’ continuing campaign to protect human rights and democracy in the country.  

In a statement, Associated Labour Unions (ALU) Vice President and Women’s Committee Chair Eva Arcos said that the call and response to end violence on account of social justice, sex, and unionism should be every day, not occasional, until there is no more need for them. “Pre-existing inequalities, violence and harassment have worsened and some incremental gains have been undone by the pandemic. Measures to save lives must be enhanced – adequate health and safety financing, classify COVID-19 as occupational disease, access to vaccine for workers, decent jobs and wages, freedom of association, zero tolerance to gender-based violence, and ratify ILO Convention No. 190, among others,” she said. 

Meanwhile, the Nagkaisa Labour Coalition, the biggest gathering of trade union centers in the country, held a motorcade protest to draw attention to the deteriorating human rights situation in the country and reiterate its call for the immediate release of jailed opposition leader Senator Leila De Lima. 

“We continue to demand the immediate release of Leila De Lima and the hundreds of political prisoners in the country. We call for the end to the rampant red-tagging, harassment, and intimidation of trade unionists, activists, and community organizers working for the benefit of ordinary Filipinos. We also call for the end of the administration’s continuing war on drugs that fails to solve the root causes of addiction in the country,” Sentro ng Nagkakaisang Progresibong Manggagawa (SENTRO) said. 

The country’s observance of Human Rights Day, which was generally peaceful, was however marred by the arrest of a female journalist and six (6) trade unionists over alleged firearms and explosives possession charges that are believed by many human rights groups to be fabricated.

“We condemn in the strongest possible terms the Philippine government’s latest string of arrests victimizing a journalist and several trade unionists. That the arresting spree was done on Human Rights Day is itself despicable. It demonstrates the brazen impunity of state forces in violating the rights of media people and Filipino workers,” BWI Asia Pacific Regional Representative Apolinar Tolentino. 

“We join our trade union affiliates in calling for their immediate release and for the Philippine government to fully respect human and trade union rights,” Tolentino said.