LOS ANGELES—In a press conference in LA, Multi-ethnic Immigrant Workers Organizing Network and Pilipino Workers Center announced that a $13M settlement has been won in their lawsuit against the Los Angeles City government for the inhumane police actions of the LAPD against the MIWON march and rally on international workers day two years ago. All of the peaceful demonstrators that suffered from the wrongful police actions on May 1st 2007 at the MIWON march and rally will be eligible to receive compensation for the violation. Filipino participants of the said rally are enjoined to contact PWC to fi ll out claim forms to avail of the settlement.

The march had a multi-ethnic mix of participants, including a signifi cant contingent from the Filipino-American community. When the police began to disperse the crowd, the Filipinos there were also forced to fl ee, which violated their rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of speech.

"We never heard a warning. Suddenly the police were firing tear gas and rubber-bullets into the crowd. One of the Filipina caregivers, Normita, was going to speak on the stage to advocate for genuine legalization for all immigrants, when we had to start running. We had to duck into a doorway because we were completely out of breath. It was terrible," stated Strela Cervas, active volunteer of Pilipino Workers Center.

Aquilina Soriano-Versoza, executive director of the Pilipino Workers Center, said that the settlement won is a victory for the community. PWC recognizes that what happened on May 1st 2007 was not a "melee," but in fact wrongful actions committed by the police against a peaceful demonstration. "No amount of money can erase the trauma experienced by the demonstrators, but the settlement sends a strong message that the community does have a right to voice its opinions and messages without threat of violence," said Versoza.

At the press conferenceheld last April 21, 2009, representatives from the Pilipino Workers Center (PWC), Association of Filipino Workers (AFW), Multi-ethnic Immigrant Workers Organizing Network (MIWON), Justice for Filipino American Veterans (JFAV), Echo Park Community Coalition (EPCC), Alliance Philippines (AJLPP), Gabnet of the Mariposa Alliance, Kabataan Makabayan (KMB) and Filipino Americans for Immigration Reform gathered to announce that money is available for those who participated in the May 1st 2007 demonstration. Anyone who needs instructions for filing a claim should contact 1.800.430.8895 or the Pilipino Workers Center at (213) 250-4353.

They also announced the actions that would be taken this year on May 1st. This year, the march is calling for Humane Immigration Reform, including an end to the raids, the passage of the Employee Free Choice Act and an economy that works for all. The Filipino contingent will gather at the Pilipino Workers Center at 12:30pm at 153 Glendale Blvd., 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90026. The main march will begin at 1:30 pm in Echo Park at the corner of Echo Park and Park Ave. The marchers will march down Sunset, past the detention center and the Federal Building to end on Main street at La Placita. They will then launch a collective action where they will assemble a 2,000 person postcard that will give an aerial message to the public and to President Obama. All are invited to join or to witness this historic event. (Cynthia de Castro)

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( Published on April 25, 2009 in Asian Journal Los Angeles p. A1 )