KMU to Aquino: Prove that ‘something is being done’ with Morong 43, dismiss charges now

“The Aquino regime should stop claiming that something is being done on the Morong 43’s case. The only thing that needs to be done is to withdraw the case against them.”
 
Kilusang Mayo Uno chairperson Elmer “Bong” Labog said this after a presidential spokesperson insisted that “something is already being done” about the Morong 43’s case “to rectify the situation.”
 
President Aquino himself admitted that the warrant of arrest for the Morong 43 is defective and that evidence for their supposed crimes were “wrongly gotten.”
 
“Given that the president himself recognizes the gross mistakes in the arrest of the Morong 43, the least that he should do is cast aside the charges against them. To grant them an immediate and unconditional release is the only deed that can ‘rectify the situation’,” Labog said.
 
“Two months ago, the same Palace spokesperson also said that the public should just wait for Justice Secretary De Lima to finish reviewing the case. But De Lima has already submitted her recommendations before the end of October, and submitted additional recommendations yesterday, coinciding the health workers’ hunger strike. How has Aquino acted on these recommendations? We’re fed up with promises.”
 
KMU also noted that there are still 371 political prisoners who were jailed under the Arroyo regime, and Aquino has not acted on any single case.

The labor center also responded to fears that Pres. Aquino will be facing coup attempts should he order the release of the health workers.

“First, the military should not have the nerve to threaten anybody with coup attempts for releasing victims of one of its botched operations. Second, the military should not doubt their commander-in-chief, for he is firmly on their militarist side – except that the outrage with the continued detention of the Morong 43 has earned the condemnation of many people in the country and abroad.

“Third, the threat of coup attempts is not a valid excuse for President Aquino to continue detaining the Morong 43 and to perpetuate the injustice that is being committed against them,” Labog said. #