'Illegal arrest' ng labor leader na si Banjo Cordero inireklamo; QCPD dumepensa
MANILA, Philippines — Kinundena ng Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) ang aniya'y iligal na pag-aresto sa labor organizer na si Benjamin "Banjo" Cordero, pero giit ng pulisiya, lehitimong operasyon ito at nirespeto naman daw ang karapatan ng nabanggit.
Ika-25 ng Oktubre ng gabi nang hulihin ng operatiba ng Regional Intelligence Unit sa Brgy. Commonwealth, Quezon City si Cordero. Ito ay alinsunod sa warrant na inilabas ni Regional Trial Court Fourth Judicial Region Branch 77 San Mateo, Rizal Presiding Judge Mohammad Aquila A. Tamano sa kasong frustrated homicide.
"At around 11:40 PM on October 25, Cordero was arrested in their home by non-uniformed police and was brought to the Batasan Police Station 6 using an unmarked vehicle," ayon sa pahayag ng KMU, Miyerkules.
"Police personnel raided Cordero's house and pointed a gun at him before presenting a warrant of arrest indicating charges of frustrated homicide."
Sa isang Facebook live, iginiit ni Cordero na hindi totoo ang paratang. Hindi rin daw niya kilala ang iba pang taong nakasulat sa naturang warrant of arrest.
Inirerekomenda sa halagang P72,000 ang piyansa para sa hinaharap niyang kaso. Si Cordero ang chairperson ng Sandigan ng Manggagawa sa Quezon City (SMQC) at siya ring lablor sector representative ng QC Development Council.
"The accused was not accorded his rights and was denied the due process of law. The manufactured charges and the arrest are clearly intended to harass and intimidate Cordero, a long-time trade union leader and organizer," dagdag pa ng labor center.
"Cordero actively campaigns for the rights of workers and the urban poor, and this has made him a vulnerable target of the state."
"The state has long utilized this scheme - arbitrarily filing trumped-up charges against activists then illegally arresting and detaining them."
Nangyayari ito ilang linggo matapos ang kontrobersyal na pag-aresto kina Kara Taggaoa ng KMU International at Larry Valbuena, na isang presidente ng transport group. Ang mga nabanggit ay idinidiin sa direct assault at pagnanakaw.
Agad na hinihikayat ng KMU sa lahat ng mga unyonista at labor rights defenders na manawagan para sa agarang pagpapalaya kay Cordero upang maprotektahan ang karapatang pantao at pag-oorganisa ng kilusang paggawa.
'Inirespeto ang kanyang karapatan'
Samantala, pinabulaanan naman ng Quezon City Police District na kwestyonable ang nangyaring pag-aresto kay Cordero, lalo na't lehitimo raw ito at wala naman daw silang ginawang paglabag.
"During the arrest, the accused was apprised of his constitutional rights," ani QCPD director PBGEN Nicolas D Torre III Miyerkules.
"Mahigpit ang bilin natin sa ating kapulisan tungkol sa pag respeto sa karapatan ng ating mga kababayan sa bawat operasyon na kanilang gagawin."
Kakapiyansa lang ni Cordero ngayong Huwebes matapos ang dalawang araw na pagkakakulong.
Nananawagan naman ang KMU sa San Mateo RTC Branch 77 at Philippine National Police na agad palayain ang nabanggit at bawiin na ang mga diumano'y gawa-gawang kaso laban sa militanteng manggagawa.
"We also call on the Marcos Jr. administration to stop the attacks against labor and human rights defenders," sabi pa ng KMU.
"While the government fails to address pressing issues such as skyrocketing prices of goods and services as well as low wages, they spend enormous time and resources on the harassment and the arbitrary arrest and detention of rights defenders."
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