MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Human Rights said Friday it is investigating the killing of trade unionist and labor rights defender Alex Dolorosa, who was found dead in Bacolod City with multiple stab wounds.
In a statement condemning Dolorosa’s murder, the CHR said its regional office has deployed a quick response operation "to aid in the pursuit of truth, parallel to our call for local authorities to increase their efforts in bringing the perpetrators to justice and uncovering the motives behind this act of violence."
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Dolorosa was found dead on the outskirts of Bacolod City on Monday. According to the BPO Industry Employees Network (BIEN), Dolorosa sustained 31 stab wounds.
Workers' organizations allege his murder is linked to his union work.
"This reflects the state of lawlessness and the never-ending culture of impunity in the country. It is not a petty crime and we cannot underestimate the motive of the attack knowing that Alex has been working as a paralegal and an organizer helping his colleagues and friends in the BPO industry," said Mylene Cabalona, BIEN national president, in a statement Friday.
The Human Rights Watch also said that Dolorosa’s work with BIEN and that his organization had been subjected to surveillance and red-tagging should be taken into consideration by those probing his murder.
The Department of Justice instructed the National Bureau of Investigation to start looking into Dolorosa’s death.
BPO workers’ rights
CHR called on the government to create stronger measures in upholding the rights of workers and union members in the country.
"The workers' right to organize and union member’s safety and security are especially crucial in the BPO sector, which is one of the country’s fastest growing industries, employing around 1.44 million Filipinos," the commission said.
"Any form of alleged attack on workers’ union officers and members must be sufficiently addressed before they lead to distrust and tension between workers, employers, and the government, and the further marginalization of a group responsible for much of the country’s economic growth and recovery," it added.
Dolorosa was part of a mass filing of complaints against forced overtime in May 2019 and gathered support from the call center community for standing up for their rights despite fear of retaliation.