Senators honor Joker, Herrera

THE SENATE on Tuesday honored former colleagues Joker Arroyo and Ernesto Herrera who passed away recently.

The Senate adopted two resolutions expressing its profound sympathy and condolences to their loved ones.

The passing of former senators Arroyo and Herrera was “a loss not just to their families, but to the nation as well,” according to Senate President Franklin Drilon.

The Senate will hold a necrological service for Herrera today.

In its resolution for Herrera, the Senate lauded him for being “a great leader and a public servant who led a life dedicated to promoting the welfare and protecting the rights of the working class.”

“For his earnest efforts to alleviate the plight of the masses, the giant of Philippine labor earned the rare distinction of being the first Asian and the second individual to receive the 1985 George Meany International Human Rights Award,” the resolution added.

Herrera, one of the pioneers of the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines, fought for Filipino workers both here and abroad. He was the only Filipino member of the executive board of the International Federation of Free Trade Unions from 1988 to 1992.

He also served as a consultant on worker’s education of the International Labour Organisation in Geneva, Switzerland, and headed the Workers’ Delegation to the 75th Session of the International Labor Organization.

Herrera was a member of the Agrava Fact Finding Board that investigated the 1983 assassination of former Senator Benigno Aquino Jr. He was Bohol representative in Congress from 1998 to 2001.

In its resolution for Arroyo, the Senate hailed him as a “human rights lawyer, freedom fighter, street parliamentarian, Congressman and Senator of the Republic.” Drilon said Arroyo was also the first lawyer to challenge the legality of martial law before the Supreme Court.