Three weeks after bloody Calabarzon raids, labor leader shot dead in Laguna
MANILA, Philippines — Three weeks since the bloody Calabarzon raids that left nine activists dead, labor leader Dandy Miguel was shot dead in Laguna by unknown assailants on Sunday night.
Group Pagkakaisa ng Manggagawa sa Timog Katagalugan-Kilusang Mayo Uno (Pamantik-KMU) said their vice chairperson was killed in Canlubang, Calamba, Laguna. Miguel was also identified as president of Lakas ng Nagkakaisang Manggagawa sa Fuji Electric Philippines (Olalia-KMU) in Laguna.
Karapatan Timog Katagalugan also confirmed the killing of the labor leader, who was shot eight times while he was on his way home from work.
Reports said police are investigating the incident.
Calabarzon raids
Miguel’s killing came three weeks after nine activists were killed in simultaneous dawn operations led by the police in three provinces in Calabarzon.
In December, six trade unionists were also arrested on International Human Rights Day. At least one, Rodrigo Esparago, has been freed in the December 10 arrests.
Kilusang Mayo Uno in a statement said the killing of Miguel was just the latest case of brutal attacks on leaders and members of organizations that have been red-tagged, or linked to communist rebels.
The group also recalled Miguel joined other union leaders and the families of the Blood Sunday killings in filing complaints before the Commission on Human Rights on March 15. “In the face of threats to life and security, Ka Dandy still stood at the forefront for the fight of the rights and welfare of the people,” KMU said in Filipino.
“Sinasamantala ng berdugong si Duterte and militaristang lockdown upang ipagpatuloy ang serye ng pagpatay sa mga lider ng mga organisasyong masa. Sa halip na atupagin ng rehimen ang maagap na pagbibigay ng wastong tugon sa pagsirit ng kaso ng COVID at ang pagbibigayan ng ayuda sa naghihirap at nagugutom, binubuhusan nito ng pondo at makinarya ang pagpapatahimik sa mga tagapagtaguyod ng solusyon sa krisis,” KMU added.
(Executioner Duterte is taking advantage of the militarized lockdown to continue the series of killing of leaders of the masses. Instead of focusing on promptly addressing the spike in COVID-19 cases and giving aid to the poor and hungry, the regime pours fund and machinery to the silencing of those who advocate for solution in crisis.)
The killing happened hours before Metro Manila and four nearby provinces, including Laguna, revert to enhanced community quarantine status. The Philippine National Police said Sunday it would be deploying 9,000 personnel to man the 1,106 quarantine control points within the NCR+ bubble to strictly enforce health and safety protocols to arrest the spread of the coronavirus. — Kristine Joy Patag
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