From: Human Rights Coordinator <hrcoord@igc.apc.org>
Newsgroups: soc.rights.human
Date: 17 Nov 92 11:19 PST
Subject: Phil: Labor Rights
Nf-ID: #N:cdp:1476700809:000:4827
Nf-From: cdp.UUCP!hrcoord    Nov 17 11:19:00 1992


From: Human Rights Coordinator <hrcoord>
Subject: Phil: Labor Rights

/* Written  1:15 pm  Nov 16, 1992 by geonet@gn.apc.org in igc:omct.sostortur */


Case PHL 101192
The International Secretariat of OMCT/SOS-Torture calls upon you to
intervene on behalf of the following situations in the Philippines.
Brief description of the situation:
Kilusang Mayo Uno, a member of the network of OMCT/SOS-Torture has
voiced its concern over violations of labour rights in the Philippines
and the violence that has ensued.  In particular, the following
incident has been brought to our attention:
On 30 September 1992 at 10.30 am, 4 strikers were seriously injured
when company-hired security guards belonging to the Philippine Combat
Force Security Agency opened fire on some 200 strikers in front of the
Original Hortaleza Vaciador and Beauty Shop in Araneta Center, Cubao.
The four injured persons are: Florencia VILLAFLORES, aged 27, a branch
supervisor - the bullet entered her head and there are fears that she
may have suffered brain damage -, Elmie IRENEO, 28, also a branch
supervisor, Lolito DACASIN, a bus conductor who was supporting the
strike and Wilfredo MENDIOLA, a steel worker who was also supporting
the strike.
On the morning of the incident, some 200 strikers and their supporters
were picketing in front of the Hortaleza Store Branch in Araneta
Center, Cubao.  At about 10:30, given that it was raining and to avoid
getting wet, the strikers moved towards the store to take shelter in
the shed.  At that moment, one of the 22 security guards on duty
apparently mistook the strikers' intentions and believing it to be an
assault, apparently hit one of them thereby causing a scuffle.  The
Officer in charge of the guards, Rudy Dang La Cruz then ordered his
men to open fire on the strikers who obeyed and hit the four mentioned
above.  Once the shooting had stopped, the strikers transported their
wounded colleagues to the hospital for treatment. According to the
information, police from the Araneta police detachment apparently
rushed to the scene of the violence and picked up the security guards
however, it is unclear if the gunmen were detained and their violent
actions investigated.  This is actually the third time that workers
have been subjected to violence, the two prior occasions being May and
September 1992.
This incident coincides with two other similar events.  During the
first, on 28 September 1992, 34 workers of Barney's Foods
International, at Phividec Compound, Taguig, Metro Manila, who were on
strike, were illegally arrested and detained by members of the Taguig
Police Force headed by a certain Colonel Marelo Ele Jr. and Captain
Espiritu, and charged with illegal possession of explosives.
On 7 October 1992, Fiscal Filipina Ata of the Pasig Regional Trial
Court ordered that the workers be released for lack of evidence,
however, it took two more days before the police finally freed the
workers.
The second event took place on 25 October 1992 when members of the
Labour alliance of Dagupan Bus Employees, at Dagupan Bus Station in
Cubao, were violently dispersed by elements of the Central Police
District headed by a certain Captain Ona.
Action requested:
Please write to the authorities in the Philippines to demand that they
put an end to the violation of workers' rights and that they ensure
the physical and psychological integrity of the workers at all times.
Urge them to provide all those who were injured the necessary medical
treatment. Exhort them to open thorough and impartial inquiries into
all the above incidents in order to identify those responsible and
punish them in accordance with the law. Urge them to ensure the
respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in the country at
all times in accordance with international standards.
Addresses:
President Fidel V. Ramos, Malacanang Palace, Manila, Philippines  Fax:
+63 2 731 1325 (via Press Secretary) / +63 2 832 3793 (via Department
of Foreign Affairs)   Tlx: 40414 MALCOM PN / 45618 RMC PM / 63370 PRES
PN /82361 PRES PU  //  Gral. Renato de Villa, Secretary of National
Defence, Camp Aguinaldo, EDSA, Quezon City, Philippines  Fax: +63 2
721 3988  Tlx: 22471 DND PM / 42004 DCSLOG PM  //  Mrs Mary Concepcion
Bautista, Chair, Commission on Human Rights, Integrated Bar of the
Philippines Building, Julia Vargas Avenue Pasig, Metro Manila,
Philippines  //  Hon. Marcelo Fernan, Chief Justice, Supreme Court,
Taft Avenue, Ermita, Manila, Philippines  //  Sec. Franklin Drilon,
Secretary of Justice, Padre Faura Street, Ermita, Manila, Philippines
Mrs. Nieves Confessor, Secretary, Department of Labour and Employment,
Intramuros, Manila, Philippines

Geneva, 10 November 1992
Please inform us of any action undertaken, (kindly mention the code
number of our appeal in any related correspondence).
LAYOUT 000