Urgent Appeal: Extrajudicial Killing of labor leader Edward Panganiban

Jun 13th, 2010 | By cawinfo | Category: Appeals

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His Excellency Benigno Aquino III

President Elect

Republic of the Philippines

10^th June 2010

Re: Extrajudicial Killing of labor leader Edward Panganiban on 2 June 2010 in Santa Rosa City, Laguna

Dear President Aquino,

The Committee for Asian Women would like to send its deep concern regarding the killing of labour leader Edward Panganiban on 2^nd June 2010 in Santa Rosa City, Laguna, the Philippines.

We learned that at around 5:20 p.m. on that day, Edward Panganiban, a maintenance staff in Takata (Philippines) Corporation, was on his way to work aboard his motorcycle when two unidentified motorcycle-riding men in bonnets and helmets tailed him and suddenly fired shots at him point-blank. Panganiban died instantly, sustaining 12 gunshot wounds. At the time of his death, there was an on-going labour dispute, with Takata management’s continuous refusal to recognise the union despite its legitimacy and ignoring union’s intent to sit to a collective bargaining negotiation. As secretary of the independent union Samahang Lakas ng Manggagawa sa Takata Philippines Corporation (SALAMAT-Independent), Panganiban has been very active and vocal in demanding for workers’ rights.

It is also alarming to note that aside from Panganiban, most union officers and active members experienced surveillance operations by elements of the Intelligence Services of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) since 2007, threatening and intimidating them from conducting union activities.

Committee for Asian Women urgently calls on your good office to ensure an immediate, impartial and effective investigation into Panganiban’s case. Perpetrators of the killing must be brought to justice in the soonest possible time and the ISAFP be investigated for their role in the intimidation and harassment of union workers and their activities.

We urge the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) to conduct an additional inquiry into the reported surveillance of labour leaders and their organisations as well as the reported anti-union seminars conducted by Alliance for Nationalism and Democracy (ANAD), a group actively engaged in red-tagging militant unions and progressive organisations.

Additionally, we call on the national police to provide adequate protection and security to potential witnesses and the family of the dead, as well as Panganiban’s co-workers.

Lastly we request your Excellency to require Takata Corporation through the Department of Labour, to comply with ILO Convention 87 (right to freedom of association) and 98 (right to collectively bargain) by recognising SALAMAT-Independent and to start negotiating with them immediately.

We trust that you take action in this serious concern.

Yours sincerely,

Lucia Victor Jayaseelan

Executive Coordinator

Committee for Asian Women

cc: Hon. Leila De Lima

Commissioner

Commission on Human Rights

Hon. Deputy Director General Jesus A. Verzosa

Chief, Philippine National Police (PNP)

Hon. Alberto Agra

Acting Secretary