The ITF today sent a strong protest to the Philippines government concerning the murder of a union leader on Tuesday adding to protests by its Filipino affiliate the National Confederation of Transport Worker’s Union (NCTU).
Antonio “Dodong” Petalcorin, president of the Davao city based Network of Transport Organization (NETO), was brutally killed. He had been on his way to the Phillipine government Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, where he was to represent his members’ urgent concerns, when he was ambushed. The killer made his escape on a motorbike.
This murder is not isolated – a month ago, Romy Almacin, a rural workers’ leader, was shot dead in broad daylight in connection with his campaigning against corruption and the illegal drug trade. Before that, a fellow Davao City NCTU colleague was also assassinated. In September 2012, the ITF protested the murder of a local leader of the jeepney drivers’ union Piston.
ITF acting general secretary Stephen Cotton said today: “We condemn in the strongest possible terms this cowardly slaughter of a man representing his members. We further condemn the continuing murders of other trade unionists, and the climate of impunity which is allowed to exist by the Phillipines government. We offer our sincere condolences to the grieving family”. There have been over 140 reported political killings in the Philippines under the presidency of Benigno Aquino.
The ITF has expressed its outrage to Etta Rosales, chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights, calling for an immediate investigation into the murder and its alleged links with similar attacks on unionists in the Phillipines. We will continue to monitor the situation.
UPDATE 12/07/2013 - add your voice to calls for justice for Petalcorin and sign the petition at http://bit.ly/15Ao2Vt
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