Workers will continue fighting for democracy and human rights

Authoritarianism and liberal democracy are two distinct form of governance, yet workers under both circumstances suffer different degrees of human rights violations. Democracy and human rights, in other words, are permanent demands and agenda that workers will be fighting for in either condition of elite governance. 

We remember how workers and their trade unions were supressed during the dark days of martial law, 47 years ago today. But it is also important to recall the resistance and heroism the workers’ movement played during those turbulent years until the end of the Marcos dictatorship. Then the struggles that never stopped even under the post-martial law/post-Edsa regimes. 

Today, therefore, is also a good day to ask: When will workers stop fighting for those agenda?  

Workers did fight before because democracy was lacking and state violence was an everyday bill. We fight today because democracy was still wanting while chronic poverty and inequality remain. 

Accordingly, workers will be fighting any plan by the administration to bring back martial law or re-establish dictatorship, alongside with the campaigns for job security, living wage, freedom of association, and deeper political reforms. And we are aware of the fact that winning these agenda is more difficult under the Duterte regime where the struggle for labor and human rights are taken as rebellion initiated by state enemies. 

There are reasons to worry about the dangers faced by human rights defenders (HRDs) in this country today, including those who are involved in trade union organizing. Several trade union organizers have already been killed in EJK manner of executions. There is also an on-going red-tagging of unions being undertaken by the military nationwide, most especially in hot spot areas like EPZA’s and mining communities. Several picket lines have also been dispersed violently by combined private and state security forces in the last three years.   

Today we join the human rights community led by the Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA) and In Defense of Human Rights (I-Defend) in demanding #StopTheAssault against HRDs and the Filipino people. 

We condemn, in strongest terms, acts of state violence in the same way as we reject and demand the scrapping of official policies like red-tagging of trade unions and other HRDs working for the realization of a life of dignity and human rights for all.

21 September 2019

Militant workers condemn arrest of Rappler’s Maria Ressa

Press Release

February 13, 2019

Partido Manggagawa partylist

Contact Judy Ann Miranda @ 09228677522

Partido Manggagawa condemns the relentless assault on the freedom of the press that has led to the arrest of Rappler’s CEO Maria Ressa. The recent arrest based on questionable legal assumptions is nothing but a blatant attempt by the Duterte administration to harass and silence its critics and clip the wings of the free press under the guise of legal authority. While Malacanang would like the people to believe that the arrest has a genuine legal basis, the people clearly see through the lies and misinformation characterized by the systematic demonization of independent media outlets critical of the incumbent regime. We view the incident as another case of the Duterte regime flexing its political muscle to muzzle the press which has tirelessly worked to keep the current administration accountable.

This recent episode is another of a long list of threats to our civil rights and liberties. The continued harassment of the media is also a grave a threat to the interests of the working class. The free press is an indispensable tool for the working class and their organizations in their struggle for dignified labor and the end of precarious work conditions.

Journalists from media outlets like Rappler have been responsible for uncovering and bringing to public attention countless cases of abuse and exploitation that workers have suffered at the hands of greedy capitalists. We remember Rappler’s extensive coverage of the union Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association’s (PALEA) struggle against the unjust termination of workers and the disregard of their rights at the behest of corporate interests.

We remember the media’s role in exposing this injustice, and now that the freedom of the press is at the crosshairs of the increasingly authoritarian Duterte regime, the workers now lend their support and solidarity with the beleaguered media outlets that continue to stand for truth and justice in a climate of increasing fear and impunity. We stand together with our allies in the press and join the call for justice against the creeping shadow of tyranny. ###

Tomorrow morning from 10 am to 12 noon, student supporters of PM partylist will distribute flowers in the PUP campus and in the university belt area as a creative way of calling for defense of press freedom and ensuring voter's education (Contact Dhel Pulanco @ 09179402632)

Workers calls for defense of political freedoms on Independence Day

As the nation celebrates Independence Day today, the labor group Partido Manggagawa (PM) called on workers to defend political freedoms. “The workers and the people must be vigilant in protecting the liberties and freedoms we now enjoy amidst the declaration of martial law in Mindanao and the extra-judicial killings due to the war on drugs,” declared Rene Magtubo, PM national chair.

The group also expressed solidarity with the rallies and events being held today to echo a similar call of defending civil liberties and political freedom. PM had earlier stated its opposition to the imposition of martial law in Mindanao.

“Even as workers are aware of the defects of the trapo democracy we have today, the rights and freedoms Filipinos possess at the moment is better than having none at all under a martial law or authoritarian regime,” Magtubo averred.

He explained that “Martial law in Mindanao is a disproportionate response to a localized issue. Further, it is a transgression of the Constitution as only rebellion and invasion, not terrorism, are the basis of imposing military rule. Clearly, after more than two weeks since its declaration, martial law has not helped in putting down the Maute group. What martial law has done is unnecessarily sacrifice workers’ and people’s rights in the guise of suppressing terrorism. Reports of the dispersal of a labor strike by soldiers in Compostela Valley is just the harbinger of such abuses under a martial law regime.”

“The accounts of abuses in Mindanao due to martial law is no different from the cases of extra-judicial killings or arbitrary arrests of labor unionists because of the war on drugs. In the bloody month of September 2016, seven labor leaders and farmer activists were killed vigilante-style, among them a PM organizer in Cebu City. That same month, a union president was arrested in Tarlac on trumped up charges of drug possession,” Magtubo said.

The group vowed to launch protests and actions to defend civil liberties and resist labor repression. “While employers’ groups were among those welcoming the declaration of martial law, workers will be at the forefront of resisting the repression of civil liberties,” Magtubo insisted.

12 June 2017

Militant labor opposes martial law in Mindanao

The militant group Partido Manggagawa (PM) today expressed opposition to the imposition of martial law in Mindanao in the wake of armed confrontations between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the so-called Maute group in Marawi City.

“Martial law in Mindanao is a disproportionate response to a localized problem. It is like using a gun to kill a fly when a swatter will suffice. The lessons of Philippine history is that martial rule is a problem not a solution as it leads to abuses and dictatorship,” stated Rene Magtubo, PM national chair.

He added that martial law will affect the exercise of civil liberties and labor rights in Mindanao. “There have been several labor strikes in Mindanao since last year and also workers’ protest actions against contractualization. Under martial law, the military can be called to suppress such legitimate acts of redress workers’ grievances. It certainly won’t be the first time such happens,” Magtubo insisted.

PM also called on Congress to revoke the declaration of martial in exercise its prerogatives to review the presidential order. The group has learned that the Congress leadership has informed solons to be on standby up to Friday. According to safeguards embedded in the Constitution, Congress has to affirm any declaration of martial law and may revoke it after 48 hours.

The group further called on Congress to review the state of lawlessness imposed over the whole of the Philippines since September 3, 2016. “The state of lawlessness has not been lifted. The imposition of martial law on top of a declaration of state of lawlessness is an escalating threat to civil liberties, political freedoms and labor rights,” Magtubo averred.

He argued that “We just hope that President Duterte’s Moscow declaration of martial law has not been unduly influenced by the alleged charisma of Putin who has been widely criticized for erecting constitutional authoritarianism in Russia.”

May 24, 2017

Release all detained Malaysian socialists and stop on-going crackdown

Urgent Appeal: Crackdown on Malaysian Socialists

Dato' Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak,

Prime Minister of Malaysia,

Prime Minister's Office,

Main Block, Perdana Putra Building,

Federal Government Administrative Centre,

62502 Putrajaya , MALAYSIA

Dear Sir,

We are writing to you, to express our outrage and our strongest condemnation over your government's on-going crackdown and the arrest of the 30 PSM Activists.

We are appalled by your government and the police's latest actions and view this as an attempt by your government to intimidate Malaysian citizens from exercising their civil and political rights

We further demand that your government stops the assault on freedom of expression and release all the 30 PSM Activists immediately.

Yours sincerely,

Renato Magtubo

National Chairperson

Partido ng Manggagawa (Labor Party-Philippines)

Militant workers slam anti-communist solon for protest ban bid

Press Release
May 29, 2009

The militant labor group Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) slammed Pastor Alcover Jr. for filing a resolution seeking to ban rallies and pickets at the Batasang Pambansa. “Alcover should read the Constitution so he can be educated that the freedom of assembly, speech and the right to seek redress of grievances are guaranteed by the fundamental law of the land. The people can already imagine the kind of Frankenstein constitution that will be concocted by solons like Alcover if the proposed constituent assembly pushes through,” averred Judy Ann Miranda, PM secretary-general.

PM was one of the groups that participated in the latest protest action in the Batasang Pambansa last Monday that was marred by violence as House security used water cannons against rallyists. Bishop Broderick Pabillo of the CBCP National Secretariat for Social Action led that rally against charter change and for the passage of the agrarian reform bill.

The labor group called on Congress to scrap the proposed ban on rallies at Batasan. Miranda stated “Instead of curtailing the people’s civil liberties, Congress must act on the CARP extension with reform bill and the three pending resolutions at the Senate calling for a workers bailout.”

PM also gave an “unsolicited advice” to Alcover. “As a Cebuano, the first thing Alcover should have done was to file a bill at Congress to protect workers against the impact of the economic crisis as layoffs and rotations continue unabated in and out of the Mactan export zone. If they have the interests of the workers at heart, we challenge Alcover and other Cebu solons to file a counterpart bill at the lower house providing for a bailout of the workers,” Miranda insisted.

She added that Alcover’s claims that protests are a grave threat to solons and the public is dishonest. “Rallies remain peaceful and violence only ensues when authorities try to disperse protesters. It is the anti-people laws passed by Congress that pose a clear and present danger to the people and the poor. It is only through mass action that workers and farmers can influence Congress since they do not have the lobby money dished out by vested interests like big landlords and capitalists,” explained Miranda.

“If Alcover is opposed to the positions advanced by groups that rally in Congress then he and his anti-communist group has all the freedom to undertake counter-protests. We dare him to exercise rather than suppress this freedom,” Miranda ended.