Laguna labor leader slain

SAN PEDRO, Laguna — Four men gunned down a leader of the militant labor group Partido ng Manggagawa in the first district of Laguna while he was on his way to work here yesterday morning, police said.

Superintendent Sergio Di-mandal, San Pedro police chief, said the victim, Andrew Iñoza, 48, a labor union president, died on the spot from multiple gunshot wounds from caliber .45 and 9-mm pistols.

The driver of the tricycle carrying him, a certain Ramon Laude, was hit by a bullet in the left leg.

Dimandal said guns-for-hire could have pulled off the attack considering that it was carried out professionally.

He said Iñoza was on his way to work when the gunmen blocked the tricycle’s path at Cataquiz 2 Subdivision in Barangay Poblacion at about 7:30 a.m. and opened fire.

Arman Albarillo, secretary-general of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan in Southern Tagalog, condemned Iñoza’s gunslaying, saying it could be part of the government’s alleged continued efforts to suppress labor union rights.

Iñoza was also an active leader of the Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino.

"This is a dastardly and cowardly act of personalities or groups whose principles and interests are anti-worker," said Gerry Rivera, national vice president of Partido ng Manggagawa.

Dimandal said they have yet to determine the motive behind the killing, adding that Iñoza had received death threats before he was ambushed.

Police are now conducting follow-up operations in Laguna and in the neighboring provinces of Cavite, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon. — With Katherine Adraneda