Bayan's Nato Reyes files counter-affidavit on sedition complaint

Bayan President Renato “Nato” Reyes on Wednesday filed his counter-affidavit with the Department of Justice (DOJ) challenging sedition, inciting to sedition, and conspiracy to commit sedition complaints linked to the September 21, 2025 rally in Manila.

His legal counsel, Kristina Conti, said the filing means the complaint against Reyes and 35 others has now been submitted for resolution.

“With the filing of our counter-affidavits today, the complaint has been deemed submitted for resolution. We very much expect this complaint and other similar ones to be dropped by the prosecutors for utter lack of merit,” Conti said in a statement.

In an ambush interview, Reyes called the allegations against him fabricated and baseless.

“Ito po ay tingin namin harassment, panakot lang no, especially since malapit na ‘yung February 25, magsasama-sama na naman ulit ang iba’t ibang grupo," he said.

(In our view, this is harassment—just intimidation—especially with February 25 approaching, when different groups will gather again.)

"Pero may mga ganitong kasong naka-bitin na ang intensyon ay takutin o discourage ang publiko sa paglahok sa mga makatarungan o makatwirang pag-protesta,” Reyes added.

(Leaving cases like these hanging is meant to scare or discourage the public from participating in just and reasonable protests.)

The Bayan president said that although he participated in the rally, he was among those injured during the unrest.

“Public knowledge naman po na nung nagkaroon ng kaguluhan, ako po ay isa sa unang tinamaan at kinailangang dalhin sa ospital, sa emergency room, minutes after the stone throwing happened,” he said.

(It is public knowledge that when the unrest occurred, I was one of the first to be hit and had to be brought to the hospital emergency room minutes after the stone throwing.)

He also questioned claims that he allegedly incited the crowd or commanded participants to storm barricades.

“It’s very strange ‘yung sinabi nilang ako daw ay nag-udyok, ako daw ay nag-command ng mga tao na lusubin ‘yung mga barikada. Paano kaya mangyayari ‘yun eh dinadala na po ako sa ospital nung mga panahong iyon,” Reyes said.

(It’s very strange that they claim I instigated or commanded people to storm the barricades. How could that have happened when I was already being taken to the hospital at that time?)

Conti noted that this is the second set of charges filed by the police against Reyes.

The first complaint alleged illegal assembly and violations of Articles 151 and 153 of the Revised Penal Code.

“Ito pong panibagong kaso ng sedition na mas matindi, mabigat po ang parusa na ito kasi aabot po ng 12 years na pagkakakulong ay dagdag o dapat nga hindi na nadagdag sa mga kaso,” she said.

(This new sedition case is more serious, with penalties reaching up to 12 years of imprisonment, which would be added—or should not even be added—to the existing cases.)

“Kaya talagang from a legal point of view, kabasubasura po itong sedition charges na kumbaga ay ulit nang nauna nang charges,” Conti added.

(So really, from a legal point of view, these sedition charges are completely baseless, essentially just a repetition of earlier charges.)

Earlier, several youth groups staged a protest calling for the dismissal of the sedition complaints filed against activists over the September 21 rallies.

More than 200 individuals were arrested during the rally, which turned chaotic amid a protest against alleged corruption in anomalous flood control projects.—MCG, GMA Integrated News