Court orders release of labor leader arrested with NDF consultant

From the Manila Bulletin (Feb 8): Court orders release of labor leader arrested with NDF consultant

A labor leader, who was arrested with National Democratic Front (NDF) consultant Ariel Arbitrario, was ordered released by a Tagum City court judge, who said that there was no evidence showing that he was a member of the New People’s Army (NPA).

Roderick Mamuyac was ordered released by Tagum City Regional Trial Court Judge Virginia Ang, who dismissed a case of multiple murder leveled against him by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP)-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).

RESTIVE ATMOSPHERE – Militant group Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) stage a protest in front of the Davao City Police Office Wednesday to condemn the arrest of National Democratic Front (NDF) consultant Arnel Arbitrario last February 5. (Keith Bacongco)

Mamuyac had earlier been tagged as an NPA liaison officer by the AFP and PNP-CIDG after he was arrested together with Arbitrario Monday at a checkpoint in Sirawan, Toril.

But Ang did not find any evidence to show that Mamuyac was, indeed, a member of the NPA.

Meanwhile, Arbitrario has been returned to jail after submitting the necessary court documents showing a commitment order, according to human rights group Karapatan.

Arbitrario is now back in Compostela Valley while awaiting the results of his trial, which was suspended because he was allowed to join the NDF peace panel as a consultant in talks with the Philippine Government (GRP).

The negotiations between the GRP and NDF have since collapsed with President Rodrigo Duterte declaring Tuesday an all-out war against the communist group.

Carlo Olalo, secretary general of the Kilusang Mayo Uno in the Southern Mindanao Region (KMU-SMR), expressed concern that with Duterte’s declaration of an all-out war, the AFP will start to go after legal democratic mass organizations, like labor groups.

“This is a fact we know all too well. Labor organizations and unions have been target of attacks by the military in the past under previous administrations. We have a standing complaint against the Republic of the Philippines with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in relation to military-instigated attacks on unions, unionists and workers in the region,” said Olalo.

“The case of Mamuyac is another testament that the AFP is only concocting fallacious charges against leaders and members of progressive organizations in a bid to suppress the latter”, Olalo said.

Aside from the arrest of Mamuyac, the labor group bared that their regional office was burglarized by unidentified men last Saturday, and that they observed several men still lurking in the vicinity of its office appearing to be monitoring the premises and the group’s staff.

http://news.mb.com.ph/2017/02/08/court-orders-release-of-labor-leader-arrested-with-ndf-consultant/