‘Mayo Uno 6’ protesters freed after weeklong detention

INQUIRER FILES

MANILA, Philippines — Six students who were arrested by policemen who dispersed a rally on May 1 near the United States Embassy were finally released from detention on Tuesday, after a regional trial court granted them bail on Monday.

Miles Benosa, part of the legal team representing the so-called “Mayo Uno 6,” told the Inquirer that after they were able to get the release orders, it was after office hours at Manila City Hall. As a result, they could not post bail, delaying the release of the activists until the government personnel concerned returned to do overtime work.

“The number of requested papers doesn’t make sense in the first place, especially since the judge has already issued a resolution,” Benosa said. “We really pushed for freedom today. One week [of detention] is excessive.”

The detained students were among the protesters demanding higher wages, job security and national sovereignty who attempted to march to the US embassy on May 1. Video footage showed baton-wielding police officers striking those who tried to get near the embassy compound.

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Illegal assembly charges

On Monday, the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 18 granted bail for the six individuals at P42,000 each on charges of illegal assembly and direct assault.

But their release did not happen until around 6:30 p.m. Tuesday due to what David Perez of the labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno described as a deliberate attempt to delay the processing of the necessary documents.

Four of the detained students are from the University of the Philippines, while the other two are members of the youth organization Anakbayan Caloocan. Their identities were not disclosed for their own safety, according to Benosa.

The International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) earlier condemned the dispersal of the May 1 rally.

“We utterly condemn the excessive use of force by the Manila police. It is a blatant violation of the right to peaceful assembly,” said Peter Murphy, global chair of ICHRP.