Kilusang Mayo Uno

pinilak ang pakikibaka ng mga manggagawa sa pangunguna ng Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU)

NEWS RELEASE

February 25, 2006

PD 1017: a state of Gloria’s desperation
Workers appeal for Ka Bel’s freedom

The militant labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) today dubs the declaration of national emergency or Presidential Decree (PD) 1017 as a state of Gloria’s desperation.

KMU National Chairman Elmer Labog said, “President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is apparently petrified of another people power that opposes her anti-people and anti-worker policies that cast this country to widespread poverty. The PD 1017 is essentially a martial law. Preceding this is the calibrated preemptive response (CPR), EO 464, no-permit-no-rally policies and other.”

Labog said that GMA is a specialist in circumventing laws. He likewise said that PD 1017 is much alarming because the palace will definitely use it to suppress the civil and libertarian rights through warrantless arrest and media outfit takeovers such as the “temporary takeover” by the Philippine National Police (PNP) of Tribune that was raided last night.

“We should aggressively question the legality of PD1017. The people will not bite another bullet and we will flood the streets with protests. GMA is a traitor to the 1987 Constitution, to the people and country,  " Labog stressed.

The labor leader also said that apart from the suppression of freedom of expression through media censorship and banning of rallies, KMU also fears that the trade union movement is yet in danger of attack comparable to the martial law years. During the dictatorship, PD 823 explicitly bans workers strikes.

The KMU also assails the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) and other business groups that supported the declaration, “From martial law in the factories and picket lines through low wages and assumption of jurisdiction, businessmen like Donald Dee proves to be a loyal collaborator of any form of Gloria’s martial law.”

The labor group also expressed condemnation of the support to PD 1017 given by the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP), “They were supporters of Marcos’ dictatorship before and they never fail their records.”

Workers appeal for Ka Bel’s freedom

“They should now free Ka Bel for humanitarian reasons. We worry for his health condition because of his age,” Labog said. Anakpawis Rep. Beltran is already 73 years old.

Labog said that Ka Bel’s plight reminds him of another labor advocate Felixberto “Ka Bert” Olalia who also suffered suppression from two regimes.

Ka Bert was arrested during the Quirino administration because of cases of subversion and rebellion in 1956. When he became a chairman of KMU, he was again arrested and jailed in August 13, 1982 under the Marcos administration. During his eight months of detention, his health deteriorated and he contracted heart disease and eventually died.

Meanwhile, Ka Bel also became a victim of martial rule during the crackdown on KMU leaders. He was also arrested with Ka Bert on August 13, 1982.

“The arrest is baseless and even the warrant they are referring to is preposterous. They have no basis to detain him any longer. The arrest of Ka Bel and other personalities reveal the real GMA agenda and that is to prevent people from protesting and ousting her, ” Labog said.

KMU will join the mass today at 6pm in La Salle, Greenhills to condemn the arrest of the Anakpawis solon. ###

posted by: KMU at 08:29 | link | comments |

Comments: