PISTON condemns the recent actions of the Marcos Jr. administration in invoking the outdated BP 880, or Public Assembly Act, a remnant of the Marcos Sr. dictatorship, to suppress the democratic rights of transport workers and citizens.
State forces have filed charges against Makabayan senatorial candidates Mody Floranda, PISTON’s national president, and Mimi Doringo, Kadamay’s secretary general, along with transport leaders Ruben Baylon, PISTON deputy secretary general; Mar Valbuena, Manibela chairman; and Regie Manlapig, a member of Manibela. These charges relate to the transport strike and protests that took place on August 14, 2024.
Floranda reaffirmed his commitment to defending the rights of transport workers despite these attacks. “We will bravely confront this this baseless charges, and we will continue fighting for the people’s right to freely express themselves and protest,” he stated.
PISTON demands the immediate dismissal of these unfounded charges, asserting that this action constitutes clear harassment against those leading the fight for livelihood and democratic rights. “It is our fundamental right to express our opposition to the corporate-driven and foreign-oriented modernization program, or to any government policies that conflict with the interests of the people. Together, we will confront this government harassment, draw strength from it, and further intensify our actions,” Floranda added.