Renato Reyes Jr.
Renato Reyes Jr., nicknamed Nato, is a Filipino activist who is currently serving as the President[1] of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN or New Patriotic Alliance). He is also part of the International League of Peoples' Struggle (ILPS) in the Philippines.[2]
Activism
Reyes started his activism as a student at the University of the Philippines Diliman who entered the school in 1992.[3] He became the founding chairperson of Anakbayan in 1998 where he lead protests against former President Joseph Estrada and was the national Secretary-General of the League of Filipino Students from 1997 to 1999.[4][5]
He joined BAYAN in 2001[4] and became its Secretary-General from 2005 to 2023.[6]
He was charged by the Manila Police District, along with many opposition leaders, of assault, obstruction, and illegal assembly because of the rally done in Mendiola on October 21, 2005. The Commission on Human Rights, however, found no legal basis.[7]
In 2006, he expressed condemnation of the overturning of a court ruling that initially convicted United States Lance Cpl. Daniel Smith of rape of a Filipina at the former U.S. Subic Bay Naval Base. He blamed the Visiting Forces Agreement and then-president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and her said subservience to the United States.[8]
In 2007, he called for the investigation and accountability of members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines involved in human rights violations under the presidency of Arroyo. A number of members of BAYAN were killed under her administration. Reyes also urged the review of budget towards the military.[9] He was among those who encouraged mobilizations against the late president.[10]
In 2015, he organized a protest march in front of the Chinese Consulate in Makati against incursions in the West Philippine Sea. He spoked in the rally together with Elmer Labog.[2]
On October 19, 2016, he organized an anti-imperialist rally against continued United States domination in front of the US Embassy in Manila. A police van rammed into the protesters and hurt a few as the program was about to end. Reyes denounced the incident, saying that "nothing can justify" the actions done by the police.[11]
During the start of COVID-19 lockdowns in the Philippines, he urged the government for mass testing, immediate distribution of personal protective equipment, and more medical frontliners.[12]
In 2022, he criticized the proposal of Pampanga 3rd District Rep. Aurelio Gonzales, Jr. on charter change, specifically for the extension of the term of the President of the Philippines from six years to five years that can be re-elected once, bringing to a total of ten years. Reyes said that this was a "self-serving proposal."[13]
In August 2023, two police from the Quezon City Police District filed criminal complaints against Reyes and BAYAN artist Max Santiago over the burning of effigy of President Marcos Jr. during his 2023 State of the Nation Address (SONA) for said contributing to air pollution and for said violation of Public Assembly Act. The two asked the Quezon City Prosecutor to junk the criminal complaint. Moreover, the two cited that the police have been targeting against free speech, which is protected under the Constitution.[1] The following year, he criticized the 2024 SONA for "wasting public funds" on extravagance and "overkill" security.[14]
Reyes urged the Quadcomm Hearing in November 2024 to investigate, aside from drug-related killings from Oplan Tokhang, the killings of activists and other human rights defenders that happened during the administration of former President Duterte.[15]
Reyes lead the second impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte.[16] The complaint was signed by representatives of multi-sectoral groups and focused on Duterte's betrayal of public trust.[17] On February 2025, he urged the House of Representatives to continue with the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte and called on President Marcos Jr. not to block the process. He added that failure to deliver with the impeachment will bring about continued cycle of unaccountable public officials.[18]
Subject of internet trolling and fake news
Reyes has been the subject of massive internet trolling and fake news. In 2018, certain Facebook profiles spread multiple fake news: that he was a high school dropout that decided to organize rallies in order to earn money, that he was involved in a t-shirt printing scam, that he purchased projectors with marked-up price. On twitter, he said that he has consulted in his legal counsel and this has resulted in the apologies of the ones who posted on facebook.[19] Reyes shared the apology video of a certain Khesia who initally spread rumors about him. The 23-year old woman previously claimed to be a high-school classmate despite their age difference. She said in the video that people must be careful on what they post on social media, especially on those whom they do not know.[6]
In another instance, social media trolls in 2021 spread misinformation that his son crashed a ₱1.9 million car in Pampanga. Such story was first circulated three years prior when his son was nine-years-old.[20] Earlier the same year, a certain facebook page PWD Rights Philippines circulated a fake post by Reyes badmouthing persons with disabilities in relation to the abrogation of the UP-DND Accord.[21] A year earlier, trolls spread fake news that he was panic-buying at S&R during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines.[22]
Personal life
Reyes is a guitarist. He can also play the piano.[3]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Navallo, Mike. "'Part of freedom of speech:' Nato Reyes, BAYAN artist refute QC police's burning of effigy complaint". news.abs-cbn.com.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Protest vs China's incursions". Kodao Productions. 8 June 2015.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Mug Shot". like a rolling stone. 2006-10-02. Retrieved 2023-03-18.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "About". like a rolling stone. 2006-09-25. Retrieved 2023-03-18.
- ↑ "Arroyo pardons former President Joseph Estrada (Published 2007)". 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2025-08-23.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Madarang, Catalina Ricci S. (2018-07-26). "Activist leader Renato Reyes Jr. has a different way of dealing with online bashers". Interaksyon. Retrieved 2025-01-26.
- ↑ "Criminal raps filed vs leaders of Oct. 21 rally". Philstar.com. Retrieved 2023-03-18.
- ↑ "Filipino court acquits U.S. Marine of rape". NBC News. 23 April 2009. Retrieved 2023-03-18.
- ↑ Conde, Carlos H. (2007-11-28). "Call for justice in the Philippines". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-03-18.
- ↑ "Thousands protest against Philippines' Arroyo". Reuters. 2008-02-15. Retrieved 2023-03-18.
- ↑ Villamor, Felipe (2016-10-20). "Philippine Police Van Rams Protesters at U.S. Embassy, Hurting Dozens". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-03-18.
- ↑ Standard, Manila (2020-05-01). "Mandatory mass tests, PPE for frontliners needed–Bayan". Manila Standard. Retrieved 2023-03-18.
- ↑ "Charter change in the middle of pandemic? Gonzales slammed for 'self-serving' proposed term extension for president - POLITIKO". politics.com.ph. 2022-01-09. Retrieved 2023-03-18.
- ↑ Tupas, Emmanuel. "Bayan: SONA a waste of public funds". Philstar.com. Retrieved 2025-01-26.
- ↑ Lalu, Gabriel Pabico (2024-11-15). "Quad comm urged: Check Duterte admin rights violations outside drug war". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved 2025-01-26.
- ↑ Santos, Krixia Subingsubing, Melvin Gascon, Tina G. (2024-12-04). "VP Duterte faces 2nd impeach rap; Palace disowns moves". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved 2025-08-23.
- ↑ Dizon, David. "'Paano pineke?' 2nd impeach complaint vs VP Sara Duterte to focus on receipts, Mary Grace Piattos | ABS-CBN News". ABS-CBN. Archived from the original on 2025-01-26. Retrieved 2025-08-23. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Clapano, Jose Rodel. "Bayan calls for 'heroic act' of impeaching VP". Philstar.com. Retrieved 2025-08-23.
- ↑ "Effective ang Twitter! Online bashers apologize to Nato Reyes | Politiko Metro Manila". metromanila.politics.com.ph. 2018-07-28. Retrieved 2023-03-18.
- ↑ "FALSE: Renato Reyes' son crashes sports car in Pampanga". RAPPLER. 2021-04-03. Retrieved 2023-03-18.
- ↑ "VERA FILES FACT CHECK: 'FB post' of Renato Reyes bad-mouthing PWDs FAKE". Vera Files. January 22, 2021.
- ↑ "FALSE: Photo of Renato Reyes 'panic buying' at S&R". RAPPLER. 2020-03-15. Retrieved 2023-03-18.
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