Palayin ang Cebu 5

Palayin ang Cebu 5 

Ang Bukluran ay nakikiisa sa panawagan para sa kagyat na pagpapalaya nila Dennis Derige, Myra Opada, Joksan Branzuela, Jonel Labrador at Cristito Pangan - mga organisador at manggagawang naglunsad ng protesta sa harap ng gate ng Mactan Economic Zone noong Araw ni Bonifacio. 

Ang kanilang pagkilos laban sa tanggalan at kontraktwalisasyon ay makatuwiran at makatarungan. Hindi katanggap-tanggap ang walang prosesong pagtatanggal sa mga manggagawa sa dahilan lamang ng pandemya at resesyon. Patunayan ng mga kapitalista na may kongkretong batayan at may proseso silang dinaanan bago sila magtanggal ng manggagawa. Usigin ang DOLE para tiyaking hindi ginagamit ng mga kapitalista ang nagaganap na krisis para lamang sa kagustuhan nilang alisin ang mga regular at palitan sila ng mas mura at mas maamong kontraktwal na manggagawa.  

Ang kanilang kilos-protesta ay ligal na ekspresyon ng kalayaan sa pagtitipon at pamamahayag. Malinaw ang kanilang pagsunod sa mga protocol ng IATF sa inilunsad na protesta. Kaya't hindi maaring gawing batayan ang "physical distancing" at kawalan ng proteksyon (face shield/mask) sa pagdakip sa kanila. 

Ang dispersal at pagkukulong ng PNP Mactan sa mga nagrali ay labag sa konstitusyon at karugtong ng tuloy-tuloy na atake ng rehimeng Duterte sa mga batayang karapatan ng manggagawa't mamamayan. Ang pagiging praning ng PNP ni Duterte sa lahat ng anyo ng pagbabatikos (sa kabila ng ipinagmamalaking 91% trust rating) ay pagtatangkang ikubli ang palpak na pagtugon ng rehimen sa mga krisis sa kalusugan, kabuhayan at kaligtasan bunga ng pandemya, resesyon, at mga kalamidad. 

Palayain ang mga ikinulong! Labanan ang tanggalan at kontraktwalisasyon! Mabuhay ang lumalabang mga manggagawa sa Mactan ecozone!

Pahayag

Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP)

ika-1 ng Disyembre 2020

Release Derige, Branzuela and Labrador now! - BMP-Cebu

BUKLURAN NG MANGGAGAWANG PILIPINO (BMP-CEBU)

Press Statement

December 1, 2020

Release Derige, Branzuela and Labrador now!

The unfortunate incident happened yesterday commemorating Bonifacio Day is totally unacceptable.

Five people who joined the march rally to denounce the illegal retrenchment of thousands of workers of MEPZA were arrested and brought to Pusok Police Station and later in the day, 3 of them were transferred to the PNP Custodial Facility in Mercado, Lapu Lapu City while the other 2 who were union leaders of First Glory Apparel were released because they were only charged that is punishable by fine. The three were Dennis:Derige, Joksan Branzuela and Jonel Labrador, all were members of Partidong Manggagawa Cebu and were slapped with resisting arrest charges.

As early as 9:00 am of November 30, 2020, workers of Mactan Export Processing Zone Alliance held a march rally outside the premises of MEPZA on the occasion of Bonifacio Day and put forward the issues of concern to the retrenched MEPZA workers. At around 9.30am, members of Pusok Police Station blocked their path and the leaders were forced to negotiate. The rallyists proposed that they be allowed to hold a short program instead. The police did not heed their plea and arrested the 5 leaders.

The illegal act is reminiscent of previous cases where union leaders and supporters are being harassed using trumped up charges to malign activists and members of civil society organizations.

The Bonifacio Commemoration in this era of the pandemic is very significant to the very lives of the Filipino workers. If Bonifacio were alive today, he could have waged a struggle to put an end to the anti-worker and anti-people policies of the Duterte administration.

We must not condone any dastardly act perpetrated by members of local police forces who were supposed to protect and guarantee the rights of every citizen.

The new normal phenomena will further subjugate the workers to intense repression and harassments.

We must not be cowed by any form of this evil doing and persevere in promoting the rights and welfare of the Filipino workers.

Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipjno Cebu strongly condemns this blatant disregard of basic humam rights.

We call on the Lapu Lapu City government to immediately act and release the arrested workers.

We call on all freedom loving Cebuanos to join hands with us in promoting and safeguarding our right to peaceable assembly and freedom of expression.#