The International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) condemns the legal attacks against 2025 senatorial candidates that occurred on January 9th in Manila. Using a relic law (BP 880) from the Marcos Dictatorship era aimed at the suppression of freedom of speech, the Manila Police District filed illegal assembly charges before the Manila Prosecutors Office against the 10 senatorial candidates of the Makabayan bloc, and other civil society leaders. The Makabayan bloc indicated the charges stemmed from an assembly commemorating the birth anniversary of national hero Andres Bonifacio on November 30, 2024.
On January 9, the group received information that 13 activists have been charged by the MPD for allegedly violating the Public Assembly Act or Batas Pambansa 880. The list includes 9 Senatorial Candidates including Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Rep. France Castro, Gabriela Women’s Rep. Arlene Brosas, Makabayan President and former Bayan Muna Rep. Liza Maza, Jerome Adonis of Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) Labor Center, nurse Jocelyn Andamo from the health sector, fisherfolk leader Ronnel Aramublo of Pamalakaya, transport leader Modesta Floranda of PISTON, Moro leader Amirah Lidasan of Sandugo and peasant leader Danilo Ramos of Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas. KMU Chairperson Elmer Labog had been previously charged on November 30th
Others include in the charge sheet included Bayan Muna third nominee, former representative Ferdie Gaite. ACT leader Vlad Queta and health worker unionist Cristy Donguines of Alliance of Health Workers, urban poor leader Mimi Doringo of Kadamay, and Bayan Muna organizer Nilo Montifero are also facing the same charges under BP880.
ICHRP condemns these trumped-up charges in the strongest terms. The targeting of the 10 Makabayan senatorial candidates for attending a public rally demonstrates state interference in the upcoming 2025 elections has already begun.
ICHRP Chairperson Peter Murphy said, “We are concerned that this is just a first step in a concerted campaign to vilify and discredit opposition candidates in the upcoming elections. We are aware from work we conducted and documented of the widely discredited 2022 Philippine elections that red-tagging, cheating, candidate and voter intimidation are realities for Filipinos going to the polls.”
The Philippine political system continues to be dominated by dynastic families that will use any means necessary to get elected and hold power. This includes judicial harassment, police and military harassment, vote buying, cheating, and even murder.
“While we demand that the upcoming 2025 elections are fair and peaceful, this has not been the reality in past elections. This direct attack by the Police and the Manila prosecutor’s office on the right to peaceful assembly and more specifically on opposition Senatorial candidates using Martial Law era edicts are echoes of the Marcos Dictatorship. This judicial harassment suggests the current Marcos Jr. regime is no different than the old Marcos dictatorship. We want to let President Marcos Jr. know that the international community is closely watching the upcoming elections and remains concerned about the ongoing state of terror in the Philippines,” concluded Murphy.
ICHRP calls on the Marcos government to:
- Stop all attacks on opposition electoral candidates
- End all judicial harassment against opposition candidates
- Drop all charges related to the November 30, 2024, Bonifacio Day rally and march
- Rescind all Martial Law era laws and edicts that attack freedom of speech, expression and assembly.
Further comment: Peter Murphy, ICHRP Chairperson, +61418312301, media@ichrp.net
