Union leader gunned down

MANILA, Philippines - A union leader was shot dead by unidentified assailants in front of the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) in Quezon City yesterday morning.

Edilberto Miralles, 64, president of R&E Taxi Transport union, died at the scene from a gunshot to the head, police said.

Probers said Miralles was shot by two men on a motorcycle along Banawe street in Barangay Sto. Domingo at around 8:30 a.m.

Witnesses told investigators that the suspects fled after the attack.

Superintendent Tomas Nunez, La Loma police commander, said Miralles was about to attend a hearing at the NLRC when he was killed.

Nunez said they have yet to establish the motive for the killing.

Police said they recovered a fired cartridge case of a .45-caliber pistol at the scene.

The case was turned over to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit of the Quezon City police. 

Labor groups condemned the murder of Miralles.

The Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) said a labor dispute could be the possible motive for the killing.

“R&E taxi has a record of violent dispersal of rallies organized by their employees,” BMP president Leody de Guzman said as he urged the Duterte government to penalize erring employers.

The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines said Miralles was not affiliated with TUCP.

TUCP officer Alan Tanjusay, however, expressed concern over the killing of the union leader.