Trumped up charges in the Philippines

On 10 October, two trade unionists in the Philippines were arrested on trumped up charges. The two unionists were Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU – May First Movement Labor Center) International Officer Kara Taggaoa, and PASODA-PISTON President Larry Valbuena – transport workers union. The fabricated charge of assault, as well as a second charge of robbery for which they served their arraignment immediately before the arrest, actually date back to a rally against the Anti-Terrorism Act in 2020. They were denied their right to due process as they were not given a chance to be heard in a preliminary investigation on the complaint against them.In the first 100 days of Marcos Jr presidency, 10 people were extrajudicially killed, 4 people were abducted and are still missing and 37 were arrested based on trumped up charges. Today’s guest is one of the arrestees, Kara Taggaoa – the international officer of the Kilusang Mayo Uno.