Rights group denounces Marcos Jr.’s use of martial law-era law vs anti-corruption protesters
KARAPATAN Public Information
PRESS RELEASE
04 October 2025
References: Cristina Palabay, KARAPATAN secretary general, 09173162831
KARAPATAN Public Information Desk, 09189790580
Rights group denounces Marcos Jr.’s use of martial law-era law vs anti-corruption protesters
KARAPATAN assailed successive attempts by the Marcos Jr. regime to suppress public outrage over bureaucratic corruption by weaponizing a martial law-era law, Batas Pambansa (BP) 880 or the Public Assembly Act of 1985, that restricts public demonstrations.
Said KARAPATAN secretary general Cristina Palabay, “BP 880 was a desperate attempt by Ferdinand Marcos Sr. to quell the burgeoning demonstrations in the aftermath of the Aquino assassination. Now his son is using the same repressive law to suppress the firestorm of protests against corruption.”
The latest victims of the Marcos Jr. regime’s vindictiveness, said Palabay, are four mass leaders from Cebu — Jaime Paglinawan of BAYAN-Central Visayas, John Ruiz of Bayan Muna, Belinda Allere of Panaghugpong-KADAMAY, and Howell Villacrucis of Ama-Sugbo-KMU — who have received subpoenas from the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office directing them to submit their counter-affidavits after the police charged them with violating BP 880. The charges stem from a protest last September 5, 2025 at the Cebu City District Engineering Office of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
Also charged with violating BP 880 is environmental activist and Karapatan National Council member Jonila Castro, who was served a subpoena by the Pasig City Prosecutor’s Office for having joined an anti-corruption protest on September 4 in front of the office of St. Gerrard Construction, which is owned by Pacifico and Sarah Discaya, DPWH contractors who are embroiled in the flood control corruption scandal.
“And let us not forget the arbitrary arrest, torture and illegal detention of more than 200 protesters last September 21 in Mendiola.” added Palabay. “Like Jonila and the Cebu activists, they were charged with, among others, violating BP 880.”
“We denounce this slew of charges against anti-corruption protesters as a curtailment of the people’s freedom to assemble, air their grievances and demand accountability,” said Palabay. “But Marcos Jr. will fail to quell mass protests against corruption even if he brandishes BP 880 and other repressive laws, the same way his dictator-father failed to prevent the ever bigger demonstrations that led to the explosion of people power and eventually ended his regime.”
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KARAPATAN is an alliance of human rights organizations and programs, human rights desks and committees of people’s organizations, and individual advocates committed to the defense and promotion of people’s rights and civil liberties. It monitors and documents cases of human rights violations, assists and defends victims and conducts education, training and campaign.