KMU hails arrest warrant issued for 25-year-old Olalia slay

MANILA, Philippines—The Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) welcomed the Antipolo City Regional Trial Court’s issuance of arrest warrants against the 13 suspects in the torture and murder of the militant labor group’s leader Rolando Olalia and his aide Leonor Alay-ay more than 25 years ago.

“We will push for the prosecution and jailing of those responsible for the torture and death of our comrades,” KMU chair Elmer Labog said in a statement.

Labog said KMU remained “firm in the belief” that elements from the Rebolusyonaryong Alyansang Makabansa (RAM) were responsible for the torture and death of our comrades. He said the Olalia-Alay-ay slays were part of the so-called “Oplan God Save the Queen,” a destabilization plot against the government of then-President Corazon Aquino.

The labor leader, however, said KMU also believed that the Aquino administration was behind the resurrection of the case.

“President Aquino’s government revived the Olalia-Alay-ay case to put pressure on senator-judges in the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona, namely senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Gringo Honasan who are known leaders of the RAM,” Labog claimed.

The issuance of arrest warrants against the 13 suspects—soldiers and former military officers—all came after a fake KMU press release circulated in the media wherein the labor group was appealing for the government to reopen the case.

“We will continue to fight for justice for our comrades Olalia and Alay-ay. Given the circumstances within which their cases have been revived, however, we are not expecting much from this process,” Labog said.