Labor center condemns killing of labor leader Gerry Cristobal this morning

The militant Kilusang Mayo Uno condemns the killing of former union leader Gerry Cristobal in Cavite this morning. Elmer “Bong” Labog, KMU Chair, urged the Philippine Commission on Human Rights and the International Labor Organization to take a close look and actively aid the labor sector in seeking justice for the rising number of extra-judicially murdered Filipino labor activists and leaders. KMU has previously filed a request in ILO to press the Arroyo government to really act against the killings.

“The Arroyo government's lip service at professing concern yet glaring inaction about the continuing extra-judicial murder of labor activists and leaders must have emboldened the killers to strike and kill anew,” said Elmer Labog.

Citing the Cavite police's previous implication in the first unsuccessful attempt at Gerry Cristobal's life, Labog also questioned the “initial investigation” of the Cavite police on Cristobal's murder.

On April 28, 2006, Cristobal, past president of the union in Japanese semiconductor firm EMI-Yazaki and an official of the Solidarity of Cavite Workers (SCW), was shot and seriously wounded by Senior Police Officer 1 Romeo Lara of the intelligence division of the Imus police station.

Lara, who got wounded in the failed murder, denied it and said Cristobal was actually the one who tried to kill him.

But whoever ordered Cristobal's murder tried again after 10 months. On February 9, 2007, two motorcycle-riding men fired three shots at Cristobal but failed to kill him.

This morning they finally succeeded in murdering Gerry Cristobal. This time, said Labog of KMU, the police has this questionable tale about Cristobal being shot due to a “traffic altercation.” Just like its chief in the person of Gloria Arroyo, the police is stretching our credulity, said Labog.

Labog dared the Arroyo government and its police chief General Avelino Razon to denounce the spate of killing of labor leaders and activists and announce in no uncertain terms that trade unions are actually expressions of democracy and not of terrorist organizations or terrorism.” Labog said that as long as unions are regarded by the Arroyo government and its military and police force as threats or enemies in their “war on terror,” then it's really no brainer to point the accusing finger at them every time a labor leader was summarily killed or abducted.