KMU office almost intruded; Labor center on alert to mounting threats

It was during the twilight dark of October 7, at 3am, when the national office of Kilusang Mayo Uno was almost intruded by a gang of still unidentified men.

A witness saw a pair of slippers at the foot of an electrical post adjacent to the KMU office gate.

At the sidewalk opposite the KMU office, a man, about 5’7 tall, medium built, not more than 30 years old, was standing by, appearing to be on guard with his surroundings.

A tricycle, colored blue and looking like one of the passenger tricycles routing the neighborhood of KMU, passed by and the man called for it. The man yelled that he would like to go to Kawilihan Village, to inform anyone who may hear that he is really just an innocent passenger.

But the tricycle veered at a direction not going to Kawilihan. It repeatedly honked as it passed by the KMU office. When it reached a street corner about 10 meters away from the KMU office, witnesses saw a man jumped from the electrical post, wore his slippers, and hurried to the tricycle, which swiftly drove away. The man who jumped was taller, but had the same physical stats of his lookout.

The tricycle turned at a street where another witness saw many more men lining the path, also serving as look out.

This incident happened days after KMU Chief Legal Counsel Atty. Remigio Saladero Jr. found out he was accused of being one of the NPA members that blasted a Globe cell site in Batangas. KMU also recently found out that it was cited as a rebel group, together with CPP, NPA, MILF, and MNLF, in a high school textbook.

“We warn the government to cancel anymore attempts to tresspass our office. This is not a simple frustrated robbery case, as many know that we are a people’s organization always soliciting for funds and resources, so there’s not much to take from our headquarters,” said KMU Chairperson Elmer Labog.

“The real motive could be to spy our office, to install surveillance devices, to plant materials that would validate our identity as rebels, or all of the above.”

KMU already reported the incident in a blotter, improved its security measures in the office, and investigates the case further.

“The continuous threats of the Arroyo regime to our organization endanger the life and security of our members. But we will never cower with our convictions, as these only reveal how oppressive the regime is to the legitimate demands of the people.” ###