The recent issuance of arrest warrants against trade union leaders Jacq Ruiz and Jerome Adonis has once again drawn attention to the deteriorating situation regarding labour rights, civil liberties and human rights in the Philippines. On 12 August 2026, arrest warrants were issued against Jacq Ruiz, spokesperson for the trade union of the Women Workers’ Movement (KMK), and Jerome Adonis, Chairperson of the national trade union centre Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), in connection with the Labour Day rally held in Manila on 1 May 2026. The two trade union leaders face charges under Article 153 of the Philippine Revised Penal Code for alleged «Tumults and Other Disturbances of Public Order». ’ For Viva Salud, these developments are not isolated incidents but part of a broader pattern of criminalisation targeting individuals and organisations that advocate for social justice, workers’ rights and democratic participation.
According to GABRIELA, a long-standing partner of Viva Salud and one of the Philippines’ leading grassroots women’s alliances, the charges stem from workers’ participation in the annual Labour Day protest, where thousands demanded living wages, secure employment, labour rights and stronger social protections. GABRIELA has condemned the case as judicial harassment designed to discourage legitimate trade union organising and dissent.
For Viva Salud, the charges against Jacq Ruiz and Jerome Adonis are politically motivated accusations that seek to criminalise legitimate trade union organising and collective action. This case is not solely about two trade union leaders; it is part of a wider crackdown on trade unions, health advocates and human rights defenders who fight for social justice and the rights of marginalised communities. This pattern is also evident in the case of Dr Ana Marie Rilloraza, a GP, and Marc Arriane Mendiola, a community journalist and health worker, who were arrested in March 2026. Whilst the circumstances of their case differ from those of Ruiz and Adonis, both situations raise serious questions about the use of legal mechanisms against people engaged in legitimate social, health, labour and human rights work. Viva Salud condemns these accusations in the strongest possible terms and denounces the use of legal mechanisms to repress dissent, weaken the labour movement, and intimidate those who stand up for workers’ rights.
Viva Salud stands in solidarity with Jacq Ruiz, Jerome Adonis, Dr Ana Marie Rilloraza, Marc Arriane Mendiola, and all those facing reprisals for their legitimate advocacy. We call on the Philippine authorities to immediately withdraw the charges and warrants issued against Jacq Ruiz and Jerome Adonis, to secure the release of Dr Ana Marie Rilloraza and Marc Arriane Mendiola, to end the use of fabricated charges and judicial harassment against activists and community leaders, and to guarantee that civil society organisations and people’s movements can carry out their work free from intimidation and reprisals.
The struggle for social justice is not a crime!
