Anti-Arroyo activist fears arrest upon return

KILUSANG MAYO UNO
(May First Labor Center)
TAGAPAMANDILA NG TUNAY NA UNYONISMO
www.kilusangmayouno.org
NEWS RELEASE May 29, 2007

Arroyo humiliated herself in NZ by lying about state of RP human rights - KMU Anti-Arroyo activist fears arrest upon arrival from New Zealand

Labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) today warned immigration officials and Malacanang to refrain from any form of harassment or arrest against Dennis Maga, Spokesperson of Free Ka Bel Movement (FKBM) and Secretary General of ANGLO-KMU upon his arrival from New Zealand on June 2.

"Reliable sources have informed us that the Philippine government is planning to arrest Dennis Maga upon his arrival from New Zealand on June 2. Obviously, Arroyo was embarrassed in New Zealand that's why Malacanang is posing to arrest Maga and further suppress the advocates of democracy," said KMU International Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Dioquino.

Maga was among the protesters who rallied against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo at the Parliament during her state visit to New Zealand. He was hosted by the National Distribution Union of New Zealand, also supporting for the release of Anakpawis solon Crispin Beltran. "We are just stating facts about the Arroyo government's grave human right violations. It is Arroyo who embarrassed herself when she flagrantly lied about the state of human rights in the Philippines," Dioquino said.

The young labor leader was 'caged' outside the New Zealand Parliament as his symbolic protest against the Philippine government's continued detention of Beltran. The incident stirred massive media mileage from New Zealand, Philippine and international media.

The protests countered Arroyo's boasting of her 'exemplary' human rights record in the Philippines. Unions in New Zealand who are allies of KMU and FKBM staunchly condemned the continued illegal detention of Beltran and almost 900 cases of extra judicial killings, abductions and incidents of harassment and various human rights violations perpetrated by government elements against critics of Arroyo's administration.

ENDS

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