The Clean Clothes Campaign is happy to share some good news about human-rights lawyer Remigio Saladero and 60 other activists who had been accused of a political murder in February this year. JustAct has also been following this case.

On November 13, the Provincial Prosecution dropped the case due to “failure to establish probable cause”. In a nine-page resolution, the Prosecutor also noted “serious inconsistencies” and “illogical basis of identification [of respondents]” in the sworn statements and affidavits of the complainant and witnesses “which cannot be ignored.”The case is the latest in a string of similar murder accusations against groups of progressive activists. The Prosecutor’s decision can be seen as a victory for the labour and human rights movement in the Philippines. This kind of accusations seem specifically designed to cripple the Philippine labour movement by putting activists behind bars, forcing them into hiding, and burdening their colleagues with organising a legal defense.

The latest accusations received international attention, and the solidarity actions taken by many of you on behalf of Mr. Saladero and his co-accused have probably contributed to the Prosecutor’s decision.

Your actions made a difference! Big thanks on behalf of Mr. Saladero and his group for all those letters that were sent to the Philippines authorities and western diplomatic missions in the capital Manila.

Mr. Saladero and 71 activists remain embroiled in another murder court case in appeal in another province.

For more background information and past CCC Urgent Actions on this case, please refer to:

www.cleanclothes.org/urgent-actions/philippine-labour-rights-lawyer-faces-new-round-of-false-charges

(No need to undertake any action now.)