Fil-Ams March for Veloso, Migrants on May Day
SAN FRANCISCO – Filipino workers and their advocates joined thousands of others across the world as they took to the streets on International Labor Day.
They said they marched to uphold workers’ rights and to call for an end to wage theft.
They also marched for overseas Filipino workers who are forced to leave because of lack of opportunities in the Philippines and victimized by their employers once they arrive in a foreign land.
“Dahil gusto naming maraming Pilipino ang hindi lumabas sa ating bansa pero dahil napipilitan ang maraming manggagawa na lumalabas sa bansa dahil walang maio-offer na maganda ang gubyernong Aquino,” said Bernadette Herrera of Migrante Northern California.
“Gusto naming ipamahagi sa mga tao na mahirap din ang buhay dito sa America pero ginagawa pa rin namin ang aming mga tungkulin bilang isang ina upang makapagbigay ng pera, magpadala sa Pilipinas kahit kakarampot ang aming sweldo,” said Rowena Viray, a caregiver.
They also marched for overseas Filipino worker Mary Jane Veloso who is an alleged victim of human trafficking.
Veloso, now imprisoned in Indonesia, was sentenced to die via firing squad, but was spared after her alleged recruiter surfaced to seek police custody due to alleged threats to her life.
“Siya po ay biktima, isang mahirap. Walang taong gustong maghirap. Walang taong gustong maging mahirap,” Viray said.
“Ipagpapatuloy namin na ipaglalaban siya dahil naniniwala kaming siya’y biktima ng human trafficking at naniniwala kami na uuwi siya sa Pilipinas mula sa Indonesia at makakapiling niya ang kanyang mga pamilya,” said Herrera.
Meanwhile in the Philippines, during proceedings with the Department of Justice (DOJ), Veloso’s alleged recruiter, Maria Kristina Sergio and her live-in partner, Julius Lacanilao, opted not to submit any defense on new charges of human trafficking, illegal recruitment, and estafa filed against them.
Sergio and Lacanilao questioned the validity of their arrest because the charges were brought by the Veloso family, and not by Mary Jane herself.
However, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) maintains that human trafficking charges may be filed by a victim’s kin.