Schon wieder Mord an Gewerkschafter

Am Nachmittag des 12. September wurde Nemesio Aquino, Gewerkschaftsaktivist der örtlichen Transportarbeiter beim Verlassen des Büros für Arbeitsbeziehungen in der Region Laguna (Südtagalog) von einem unbekannten Mann erschossen. In der Region gab es bereits im Mai einen Mord an einem Sozialarbeiter der Kirche, sowie in der Zwischenzeit einen Mordversuch am Gewerkschaftsvorsitzenden der Honda-Werke der Region. Dass dieser Mord am Aktivisten einer als sozialpartnerschaftlich geltenden Gewerkschaften auf die ganze Gewerkschaftsbewegung zielt unterstreicht die (englische) Pressemitteilung "Another unionist murdered, surveillance and killings continue" vom 12. September 2006 der Solidarity of Workers in Southern Tagalog (KMU).

PRESS RELEASE, 12 September 2006

Another unionist murdered, surveillance and killings continue

Another unionist was killed today in Southern Tagalog region

Nemesio Aquino, a worker of JAM Transit (formerly Tritran Bus Company), was shot dead by unidentified men when he just came out from the Bureau of Labor Relations office in Barangay Parian, Calamba City, Laguna at around 2:00 PM.

The militant Pagkakaisa ng Manggagawa sa Timog Katagalugan (PAMANTIK-KMU) or Solidarity of Workers in Southern Tagalog expressed condemnation and alarming concern over the recent killing of a unionist.

In the region, this is the recent incident of killing which seemed to have been quiescent after the murder of church worker Noli Capulong in May 2006 according to Luz Baculo, PAMANTIK secretary-general.

Although Aquino does not belong to any of the militant unions in the region (Southern Tagalog), the whole labor movement should stay as vigilant as ever in these times of intensifying political repression and killings.

Baculo cited the failed attempts to liquidate Romeo Legaspi, union president of Honda Cars Philippines in Laguna Technopark and federation president of Organized Labor Association in Line Industries and Agriculture (OLALIA-KMU).

Legaspi cannot anymore go to his work since October 2005 due to the continued surveillance and threats to his life.

Baculo added, "The case of murdered PAMANTIK-KMU labor leader and Nestlé union president Diosdado Fortuna has not been solved to this day since he was killed on September 22, 2005. The killings continue while justice has not been served to the victims."

"The killers are just around and wait for the moment to strike. We know for sure their main targets are the militant organizations, like KMU workers and unionists, which the government and the military branded as terrorists and communist fronts. However, we are in no way afraid to push for with the struggle for wages, job security, respect for workers rights and to fight for justice for our slain leaders" said Baculo.