Quezon City Police District (QCPD) director Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III announced on Wednesday, Oct. 26, the apprehension of a labor organizer during the service of a warrant of arrest for a frustrated homicide case issued by a local court on Tuesday, Oct. 25.
Torre said Benjamin “Banjo” Cordero, Samahan ng Manggagawa sa Quezon City chairman and labor sector representative of the QC Development Council, was arrested by members of the QCPD Batasan Station (PS 6) at around 11:53 p.m. on Tuesday in his residence in Barangay Commonwealth, QC.
According to the QCPD, Cordero was nabbed by virtue of a warrant of arrest for frustrated homicide issued by Judge Mohammad Aquila A. Tamano of San Mateo, Rizal Regional Trial Court Fourth Judicial Region Branch 77 with a recommended bail of P72,000.
The Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) on Wednesday released a statement strongly condemning the “unjust and illegal arrest” of Cordero, saying he was nabbed by non-uniformed police personnel.
“The accused was not accorded his rights and was denied the due process of law. The manufactured charges and the arrest are clearly intended to harass and intimidate Cordero, a long-time trade union leader and organizer. Cordero actively campaigns for the rights of workers and the urban poor, and this has made him a vulnerable target of the state,” the KMU said.
“The Kilusang Mayo Uno strongly condemns the weaponization of the law to silence activists and critics of the government. Just two weeks ago, KMU International officer Kara Taggaoa and PASODA-PISTON (Pasiklab Operators and Drivers Association-Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide) president Larry Valbuena were arrested without due process on trumped-up charges of direct assault after filing bail for trumped-up charges of robbery,”
On Oct. 10, Taggaoa and Valbuena were both nabbed in the city by virtue of a warrant of arrest for direct assault over their alleged involvement in a mauling incident in July 2020 inside the Commission of Human Rights (CHR) compound in Brgy. UP Campus, QC.
KMU also called on San Mateo Regional Trial Court Branch 77 and the Philippine National Police for Cordero’s immediate release.
The group also urged President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s administration to stop the attacks against labor and human rights defenders.
Members of progressive groups and organizations also held an indignation rally in front of the PS 6 on Wednesday, calling for Cordero’s release.
Police said Cordero was arrested by the operatives PS 6, backed by personnel of Regional Intelligence Unit of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), and QCPD District Intelligence Division.
“During the arrest, the accused was apprised of his constitutional rights,” the QCPD director said.
“Mahigpit ang bilin natin sa ating kapulisan tungkol sa pagrespeto sa karapatan ng ating mga kababayan sa bawat operasyon na kanilang gagawin (We strictly instruct our police to respect the rights of the citizens in every operation that they do,” he added.
The QCPD said Cordero is in the process of posting bail for his release from police custody.