By DANNY ESTACIO, HANNAH TORREGOZA, JEFFREY DAMICOG
Lawmakers and labor groups condemned Monday the killing of a trade unionist and longtime labor activist in Calamba City, Laguna on Sunday night.
Bayan Muna lawmakers noted the killing of Dandy Miguel, 30, union president of Lakas ng Nagkakaisang Manggagawa ng Fuji Electric, and leader of Pagkakaisa ng Manggagawa sa Timog Katagalugan-KMU (Pamantik-KMU), occurred three weeks after the “Bloody Sunday” raids that left nine activists dead in the Calabarzon region.
Police report showed that Miguel was riding his motorcycle along Kapayapaan Road, Asia 1, in Barangay Canlubang, Calamba when he was fired upon by an unidentified assailant around 8:45 p.m. on Sunday.
The victim was heading to Barangay Majada Labas when he was shot. He died on the spot from gunshot wounds in the body, according to police report.
“Bayan Muna vehemently condemns the killing of Pamantik-KMU leader Dandy Miguel. This is unmistakably the continuation of the Bloody Sunday raids several weeks ago that ended in the murder of nine activists and arrest of several others,” said Bayan Muna solon Ferdinand Gaite in a statement.
The lawmaker said Bayan Muna fears there would be a surge of attacks as the Duterte administration takes advantage of the militarized lockdown.
“We call on the public to condemn these atrocities and remain vigilant as another militarized lockdown starts,” he said.
Rep. Eufemia Cullamat also condemned Miguel’s killing and reiterated the need for the public to be vigilant amid the stringent lockdown protocols this Holy Week.
The Nagkakaisa Labor Coalition also slammed the killing of Miguel, saying his death brought to more than 50 the number of trade unionists who have been gunned down since the start of the administration of President Duterte.
“We remind the authorities of its responsibility to investigate, prosecute and convict the authors of these atrocities,” Nagkakaisa said in statement.
“As such, we call on the AO 35 committee (Administrative Order (AO) 35 Inter-Agency Committee on Extra-Legal Killings, Enforced Disappearances, Torture and Other Grave Violations of the Right of Life, Liberty and Security of Persons) to act with dispatch and thoroughly investigate this crime,” it urged.
DOJ ASSESSMENT
Meanwhile, Department of Justice (DoJ) said it will determine within the week whether the inter-agency committee on extra-judicial killings should investigate the death the labor leader.
Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra said Monday the DoJ has begun making an assessment to find out if the AO 35 committee has jurisdiction to investigate the slaying of Miguel.
“Like what we did in the Calabarzon deaths, we’ll do a preliminary assessment first,” Guevarra said.
“If there’s any indication that Miguel’s death had something to do with his being a labor leader, the AO 35 committee will include his case for investigation,” he assured.
