Labor organizer shot dead in Cavite during meeting with workers

MANILA, Philippines— A labor union organizer was killed on Sunday morning while conducting a meeting with workers in Cavite, a labor party said.

According to Partido Manggagawa, Dennis Sequena, vice chairman of its Cavite chapter, was shot dead while he was meeting with a group of workers in Barangay Bunga, Tanza, Cavite.

Sequena was shot by an unidentified gunman who arrived and left in a motorcycle.

Sequena was rushed to General Trias Maternity and Pediatric Hospital for treatment but doctors failed to revive him.

The victim was a union organizer and a party-list nominee of Partido Mangagawa in the concluded 2019 midterm polls.

PM urged the authorities to investigate the killing of Sequena.

“We call on the police to act with dispatch and catch the perpetrators of the crime. Dennis is a community leader and has no personal enemies. We believe this is an extrajudicial killing for Dennis’ work as a labor organizer,” Rene Magtubo, Partido ng Manggagawa national chair said in a release.

Magtubo also asked the Congress to probe the extrajudicial killing of labor organizers and union activists.

In September 2016, union leader Edilberto Miralles, president of R&E Taxi Transport union was also gunned down by two men on motorcycle. Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino said a labor dispute could be the possible motive for his death. —Rosette Adel

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