Labor coalition fights back, says gov't must investigate and condemn worker killings
MANILA, Philippines — In a show of force, labor unions and rights groups on Thursday called on the government go beyond investigation and categorically condemn continuing attacks on their members and on Filipino workers.
Labor union president Leonardo Escala was shot dead on February 7. A month later, nine activists, including labor organizer Emmanuel Asuncion, were killed in simultaneous dawn operations. Three weeks later, labor leader Dandy Miguel was gunned down.
READ: No doubt that Dandy Miguel was killed for fighting for workers, supporters say
On top of these killings, other activists continued to be red-tagged and some have been arrested on charges that groups claimed are trumped up.
In a virtual press conference on Thursday, several labor union groups condemned the continued attacks on the Filipino worker. Kilusang Mayo Uno chair Elmer Labog said in Filipino: We can see a trend where most of the victims are workers in export processing zones, where the unionism is strong, in Southern Tagalog and Central Luzon.”
On March 30, KMU vice chairperson for Central Luzon Florence Viuya and Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas vice chairperson Joseph Canlas were arrested in separate operations. Police also raided the house of labor activist Marites Santos David in Laguna.
Workers’ Alliance in Region III-KMU’s Eduard Ellorenco. said Viuya has been red-tagged since 2019 in fliers posted in establishments and was accused of being a New People’s Army leader even though he is only pushing for workers’ rights. Canlas, Ellorenco added, is a known peasant leader.
RELATED: After raid on labor activist's house, lawyers remind cops: No manhunt if no warrant of arrest
Beyond investigations
The Nagkakaisa labor coalition called on the government to go beyond initiating investigations and condemn these continued attacks.
In a statement read by Federation of Free Workers’ president Sonny Matula, the group called on the government to “concretize the provision of the Constitution to protect the workers.”
“The Nagkaisa labor coalition is urging the government to not only investigate and inquire, but to condemn the widespread killing of unionists,” Matula, also chairperson of Nagkaisa, said in Filipino.
The Department of Justice’s Administrative Order 35 committee, an inter-agency body looking into politically-motivated extrajudicial killings, are conducting a probe into the bloody Calabarzon raids and Miguel’s death.
RELATED: DOJ creates team to thoroughly probe into killing of labor leader Dandy Miguel
Matula said the coalition welcomes this move, but added that they noticed that the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte has generally been “lukewarm” in the face of senseless killings.
"We have noticed that the Duterte administration has been lukewarm and lacks compassion. We hear no condemnation from government on these senseless killings."
Earlier this week, Nagkaisa said more than 50 trade union leaders and organizers have been killed since the start of Duterte’s administration.
Matula renewed their call for the Philippine government to welcome the International Labor Organization’s High Level Mission which will look into trade union and human rights violations in the Philippines.
In a virtual conference on March 29, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said “any news of death is always a cause for an alarm,” but he cautioned on concluding anything immediately as he said the investigation must run its course.
“We should leave it to authorities and find out what happened… These should be investigated and see to it that those responsible for the killing of a labor leader should be made answerable,” Bello added. — Kristine Joy Patag
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