The Panay Alliance Karapatan welcomed the release of Josephine Porquia, a development worker and Migrante coordinator, after fabricated charges of illegal possession of explosives filed against her by the Philippine National Police were dropped.

Porquia was arrested by joint forces of the PNP and the Philippine Army on April 2 in Pavia, Iloilo, using a 2012 arrest warrant issued by the Regional Trial Court of Mambusao, Capiz. The police used a case stemming from a clash between the AFP and the New People’s Army that occurred in Tapaz, Capiz, in August 2011. Porquia’s name was not listed in the warrant, which only accused her of being one of the aliases listed in the document. Following her arrest, additional fabricated charges of illegal possession of firearms were filed against her.

At present, a separate rebellion case remains pending against Porquia at the Mambusao RTC.

The human rights group condemned the AFP’s illegal practice of filing fabricated charges against human rights defenders and activists, including the elderly, by falsely linking them to clashes between rebels and state forces.

The group noted that the state frequently charges activists with illegal possession of explosives because the offense does not allow the accused to post bail, ensuring prolonged detention. It is also easy to plant evidence at the time of arrest, they added.

Josephine Porquia is the widow of slain activist, environmental defender and Bayan Muna coordinator Jory Porquia. Jory was assassinated by state agents on April 30, 2020, after facing intense Red-tagging and police surveillance. To date, none of the perpetrators have been held accountable for his killing. Their son, Lean Porquia, a labor leader and former president of the BPO Industry Employees Network (BIEN), has long been a target of Red-tagging campaigns. The younger Porquia was also a victim of fabricated charges filed by the Department of Justice regarding his membership in the League of Filipino Students.

The Panay Alliance is calling for the dismissal of the remaining fabricated cases against Josephine Porquia, an investigation to punish those responsible for the murder of Jory Porquia, and an end to Red-tagging and the weaponization of the law against progressive organizations and activists. The group also called for the release of all political prisoners in the country.

As of early 2025, there are 761 political prisoners in the country, 15 of whom are detained in the Panay region.