[APWSLMembers 198] Labor lawyers ask SC to intervene and declare PP 1017 as unconstitutional; Gov't must release Rep. Beltran for humanitarian reasons

[Kilusang Mayo Uno]

KMU NEWS RELEASE
March 2, 2006

Labor lawyers ask SC to intervene and declare PP 1017 as unconstitutional

The militant labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) today joined and 
supported the Pro-Labor Legal Assistance Center (PLACE) as labor 
lawyers filed a petition for the Supreme Court to intervene and 
declare Presidential Proclamation 1017 as unconstitutional.

Atty. Remigio Saladero, KMU Legal Counsel, led the filing of the 
petition and asserted that PP 1017 is an all round attack on the 
people's democratic, civil and political rights. "The Supreme Court 
must decisively intervene in this situation and pronounce PP 1017 as 
unconstitutional."

KMU Chairperson Elmer Labog said they are wary of Malacanang's 
ulterior motives on the so-called lifting of PP 1017 in the coming days.

"Arroyo must heed the people's call to lift PP 1017. Workers will not 
accept fake or verbal lifting of PP 1017. With or without the state 
of national emergency, we will remain constantly on guard against 
warrantless arrests, attacks on progressive personalities and all 
kind of assaults on the people's democratic rights. These violations 
will continue as long as Arroyo's militarist right hands Department 
of Justice (DOJ) Sec. Raul Gonzales, Department of National Defense 
(DND) Sec. Avelino Cruz and Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief 
Art Lomibao administer orders."

Gov't must release Rep. Beltran for humanitarian reasons -- KMU

KMU reiterated its demand for the urgent and safe release of KMU 
Chairman Emeritus and Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran.

At 10:15 this morning, Ka Bel's blood pressure shoot up to 170/100 
and suffered a mild hypertension attack. He was rushed to the PNP 
General Hospital Emergency Room. "For humanitarian reasons, 
Malacanang must at least consider Ka Bel's risky health condition and 
release him as soon as possible. After all, he was unjustly arrested, 
detained and charged with rebellion without probable cause and basis.

Labog noted that Ka Bel, now 73 years old, has health problems 
including hypertension, diabetes and arthritis. "Ka Bel is old, he 
might not endure the strenuous condition of his detention at the PNP 
Custodial Center. He already spent decades of his life fighting for 
the cause of workers and poor people. Current and previous 
governments failed to bend Ka Bel's staunch pro-people principles. 
Now Arroyo even went as far as depriving Ka Bel of humane conditions 
and detaining him despite his risky medical condition.

If Malacanang cannot accept Ka Bel's political views and principles, 
they must at least pay due respect to him as a statesman.

"Ka Bel is not a common criminal.  His stature as a vocal critic of 
the Arroyo administration is not an offense at all. The government 
just worked up the old charges against him to deter Anakpawis and 
other progressive groups' calls for Arroyo's ouster. ###