đź“·Myrna Cruz Abraham | Kodao Productions
On January 27, 2025, at around 10:00 AM, indigenous rights advocate and activist Myrna Cruz Abraham, affectionately known as Micah, was arrested at Massway Mall in San Rafael, Bulacan. Seven to eight men, including one woman in civilian clothing, claiming to be from the police Directorate for Investigation and Detection Management of the Philippine National Police, accosted her without clear justification. According to her family, she was forcibly taken into an unmarked vehicle and brought to the San Rafael Municipal Police Station.
By 11:00 a.m., she was transferred to the Quezon City General Hospital for a medical examination. Her blood pressure was high, as she is already on medication for high blood and cholesterol due to her advanced age. The arresting team transported her to Camp Karingal in Quezon City at around 1:00 p.m. She is detained at the Camp’s Criminal Investigation and Detention Unit (CIDU). Myrna’s legal counsel and human rights workers are still verifying the alleged charges against her.
KATRIBU Kalipunan ng Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas strongly condemns the arrest and continuing political persecution of Myrna Cruz Abraham. Her arrest is yet another clear manifestation of the government’s continued harassment and intimidation of human rights defenders and advocates for Indigenous Peoples’ rights. We see no legitimate grounds for her arrest or the trumped-up charges against her, which only aim to suppress her decades-long advocacy for social justice and the welfare of marginalized groups and communities.
Days before her 70th birthday on January 30, Myrna’s lifelong dedication to the oppressed should be celebrated, not criminalized.
Until 2010, she was a member of Anakpawis-Cagayan Valley and a consultant for the Danggayan Dagiti Mannalon ti Cagayan Valley (Danggayan), a regional peasant organization. A former political prisoner, she was arbitrarily arrested on March 22, 2010, on fabricated charges of murder and violations of the election-related gun ban. The charges were dismissed in December 2010, for lack of evidence. Despite this ordeal, Myrna has remained steadfast in her fight for justice and equality.
Myrna has tirelessly championed the rights of Indigenous Peoples, women, workers, and peasants for decades. She is a long-time active member of SANDIWA, a national network of advocates for the rights of National Minorities. As part of the network’s secretariat since its founding assembly in September 2017, she helped organize relief services, fundraising bazaars, and educational and cultural events to promote the heritage and struggles of Indigenous Peoples and the Bangsamoro. She directly participated in relief operations for Indigenous and Moro communities especially in Rizal, Quezon, and Metro Manila affected by disasters and calamities. Myrna played active roles in the successful Lakbayan ng Pambansang Minorya from 2017 until 2019, and supported the Lumad Bakwit Schools in Manila.
Myrna’s commitment to marginalized communities extends beyond her advocacy for Indigenous Peoples. She was an educator, a union organizer, and a leader in women’s rights movements.
Before her work with SANDIWA, Myrna dedicated her life to promoting the rights of marginalized groups like workers and women. With a degree in Education, majoring in English and History, from Jose Rizal College, Myrna initially pursued a career in teaching. She taught at institutions such as the Rizal Experimental and Pilot School of Cottage Industries (1975), Jose Rizal College (1977), and Colegio del Buen Consejo (1979).
However, her growing commitment to social justice led her to transition from teaching to development and community work.
She also worked as a junior trainer for the Management Advancement Systems Association, Inc. (MASAI) from 1991 to 1994, conducting training on basic management courses for NGOs. Groups such as St. Joseph’s Social Services and the Crisis Management Committee-National Capital Region sought her knowledge in planning and networking.
From 1989 to 1990, Myrna served as a union organizer for public and private school teachers in Metro Manila, raising their awareness about their rights and fostering unity among educators. As part of the Women Industrial Workers Alliance (WIWA) and the Kilusang Manggagawang Kababaihan (KMK) from 1982 to 1985, she organized women workers and local trade unions in Pasig, Mandaluyong, and Marikina, while helping establish livelihood programs for displaced workers in Metro Manila. In 1983, in collaboration with Maria Villariba of the Center for Women’s Resources and Rev. Ruth Cortez of the Institute for Religion and Culture, they established the Women’s Center which became pivotal in the training and education of women workers in Metro Manila. All these underscore her contributions to the women’s movement.
As a writer, she contributed to cause-oriented publications like Kawing, a parish newsletter in Pasig, and the Conference of Asian Women Newsletters.
Growing up in Pasig City, Myrna experienced the harsh realities of poverty firsthand. Her father, a jeepney driver, and her mother, a housewife, struggled to make ends meet. These early experiences, combined with her involvement in the Kabataang Makabayan (KM) during the 1970s, profoundly shaped her lifelong commitment to fighting for the rights of the poor and oppressed.
Katribu demands the immediate release of Myrna Cruz Abraham and an end to the continued harassment of human rights advocates. Myrna’s life work speaks volumes about her unwavering commitment to justice, equality, and the rights of the marginalized. We urge everyone to stand with Myrna and condemn these acts of repression against those who have selflessly dedicated their lives to advancing the rights of the oppressed. #
