On Sunday August 24 the Berlin Biennale will convene a groundbreaking People’s Tribunal on Art for Resisting Oppression—Philippine Cases. In a departure from traditional tribunals, this event will not only feature oral and written testimonies but also live performances by the artists themselves—each an act of resistance in the face of state-sponsored repression.
The People’s Tribunal brings attention to the power of art as a form of resistance against state repression through compelling testimonies from three brave witnesses— Mercedita Centeno de Jesus, Father Chris Ablon, and Reya Morgado—who have faced persecution for their art and activism in the Philippines. Some of these witnesses sought political asylum in Europe due to the severe political repression, including red-tagging they endured in the Philippines. Red tagging is the act of
labeling individuals or groups as communists or terrorists to discredit them, putting them at risk of harassment, violence, or even death.
Mercedita de Jesus is the mother of the forcibly disappeared activist Bazoo who has been missing since April 28, 2023. She describes that in the evolution of her artistic process, she “turned to art not just to cope with anxiety and depression, but to resist”.
Father Chris Ablon is a priest, advocate, and musician who was forced into exile under the Duterte Regime due to harassment and death threats. Now living as a political refugee in Germany, he continues to fight for migrants’ rights and the rights of all oppressed people.
For Reya Morgado, a cultural performer from the Manobo tribe and victim of red-tagging, “artistic expression is my resistance. Each performance is a political act—a call for freedom, human rights,
and justice. I want people to know: I exist. I am living proof of the harassment that continues.”
Alongside the personal testimonies, the Tribunal will include an expert witness statement from Catherine Abon shedding light on the broader context of political repression faced by artists and activists in the country. Ms. Abon is a volunteer coordinator of the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP-DE) and member of Alpas Pilpinas and Gabriela Germany.
This event aims to amplify the voices of those who have experienced firsthand the intersection of art and political struggle, while calling for global attention to the ongoing crisis of human rights in the Philippines.
Following the Tribunal is an open forum with activists from the convening organizations who are also calling on all Filipinos and allies to join the Duterte Panagutin Network and mobilize to The Hague in September for former President Rodrigo Duterte’s first International Criminal Court (ICC) hearing.
The event is part of the 13th Berlin Biennale production organized by ALPAS Pilipinas, Gabriela Germany, the International Coalition for Human Rights Germany Chapter (ICHRP-DE) and Berlin Philippines Solidarity Organization.
Contact: ichrp.germany@gmail.com; gabriela.alemanya@gmail.com
People’s Tribunal on Art Resisting Oppression: Philippines Case
When: 24 August 2025, from 4PM, doors open at 3PM
Where: KULTURFABRIK Moabit
Lehrter Str. 35, 10557 Berlin
