Workers ask ILO to act on killings of workers on duty

Labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) today urged the International Labor Organization (ILO) to probe on the rising numbers of workers killed on duty. “We welcome any efforts from the ILO regarding cases of political killings. We encourage an independent international team of labor rights activists to continue the investigation that will further point to actual gunmen and masterminds of the killings.”

According to Joel Maglunsod, Secretary-General of KMU, two out of the 10 victims of political killings this year were killed while on duty. The first case involved Prof. Jose Maria Cui who was shot in front of his students at the University of Eastern Philippines in Catarman, Northern Samar last January 19 while the second case involved Dominador De Luna, an employee of the National Food Authority in Catbalogan, Samar who was killed last January 28. “The perpetrators of these heinous crimes are now adapting a bolder style of executing their targets.”

“During the International Labor Solidarity Mission (ILSM) fact-finding activities last year, we found out the pattern that workers were killed near their places of residence or employment, usually early in the morning before going to work or in the afternoon as they return home. But in recent cases, victims are being attacked while on duty in broad daylight and even with witnesses. This trend is alarming and but labor officials are doing nothing in response to the rising number of workers killed by death squads,” the labor leader said.

In November last year, KMU filed a complaint to the ILO charging the Arroyo administration of direct involvement in the killing of labor advocates. The number of workers, trade unionists and labor advocates killed under Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s administration has now reached 86.

Respect international efforts against political killings; lift blacklisting of HR advocates

Maglunsod also stated that the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) should ask Malacanang and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to lift the blacklisting of labor advocates and human rights activists that seek entry to the Philippines to help in the investigation of the killings.

“The government must lift the blacklisting of Bryan Campbell, Neil Castro and other ILSM foreign delegates. Castro, a Filipino-Canadian based in Montreal, Canada was held and refused entry at the NAIA last January 21. Campbell was denied entry to the country last December. He was supposed to attend the Jobs and Justice International Conference organized by APRN and Ecumenical Institute for Labor Education and Research.