Lawmakers call on PNP to release 6 activists arrested on Labor Day

MANILA, Philippines — Makabayan bloc lawmakers have urged the Philippine National Police to release six activists who were arrested during a Labor Day rally near the United States Embassy in Manila, questioning authorities for reportedly not practicing maximum tolerance in dispersing the protesters with water cannons.

In a press conference on Thursday, Rep. Raoul Manuel (Kabataan Partylist) said that law enforcers were seen deploying a water cannon in an attempt to disperse the crowd, after which cops from the Manila Police District "illegally arrested" six activists who were also wounded from the clash.

Philstar.com has reached out to the Manila Police District and will update this story with their response.

Transport and labor groups who participated in the protest were calling for a national wage hike — a standard demand by protesters during yearly commemorations of May 1 but also a legitimate campaign being waged by lawmakers in Congress batting for a legislated wage increase.

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The police's reported violent dispersal of the protesters, which included youth activists, came after they attempted to barricade the crowd to prevent them from marching along Kalaw Avenue toward the US Embassy, according to a Bulatlat report. Some demonstrators were allegedly injured with truncheons.

Manuel said the violent dispersal was unjustified as there was "nothing wrong" with the protesters' calls for a wage hike.

"Ang tanging pinapanawagan ng mga kabataan ay para saating mga mangagawa, ang pagtaas ng sahod nationwide. Unlike doon sa gusto ng adminstrasyon na papatse-patse, pinapasa ang issue sa wage boards," Manuel said.

(What the youth activists are protesting for are for the workers, the increase in wages nationwide. Unlike the administration's plan to go about it in a piecemeal manner, where the issue is passed on to the wage boards.)

Manuel said he personally visited the protesters detained at the Manila Police District. "Nakita natin personally na meron silang scratches sa kanilang katawan (We personally saw they had scratches on their body)," he added.

Rep. France Castro (ACT Teachers) also condemned the incident and compared it to the recent water cannons deployed by the Chinese Coast Guard against Filipino vessels in the West Philippine Sea.

"Habang tayo binobomba ng Chinese Coast Guard pero ang PNP naman binobomba ang mga rallyista, aktibista at mamamayan na sumasali sa mga lehitimong panawagan para sa sahod, para dun sa mga polisiya sa pag gawa," Castro said.

(While we are being bombarded by the Chinese coast guard, the PNP is also bombarding rallyists, activists, and citizens participating in legitimate calls for wage and policy reforms.)

Castro added: "May 1 is a red letter day, it is celebrated every year internationally. Hindi dapat kinikitil ang boses ng mga manggagawa (Workers' voices should not be suppressed)." 

Labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno said that the wage increases approved the previous year were not enough to cover the daily expenses of workers and fell short of reflecting the "changing needs" of workers as prices of basic goods go up. 

In 2023, the regional wage board in the National Capital Region approved a P40 increase in the daily minimum wage, short of the P750-peso wage increase that labor groups say is needed to provide for their families' basic needs and a decent standard of living.