Philippines : Gunmen fire on striking agricultural workers camp
a camp set up by agricultural workers in preparation for their strike in Pantukan town, Compostela Valley a few days ago.
The Kilusang Mayo Uno Southern Mindanao Region, in a belated report Wednesday, said last Saturday’s shooting followed an attempt to burn down the camp set up by the workers of Musahamat Farm 2, who had voted to go on strike on March 28.
None of the three union members manning the camp was hit during the incident, which happened around 12:05 a.m. on April 2. Eight .45 caliber shell casings were recovered after the firing.
The shell casings found near the workers' camp after the shooting. (photo from KMU-SMR)
The shooting and the attempted arson prompted Carlo Olalo, secretary general of KMU-SMR, to urge the Department of Labor and Employment to intervene to prevent any harm from happening to the workers, who are striking to demand the reinstatement of 52 of their colleagues at the banana plantation who they say were illegally dismissed.
At the same time, Olalo took the DOLE to task for doing nothing when the military allegedly tried to intervene and mounted a vilification campaign against the KMU during the certification election won by the Musahamat (Farm 2) Workers Labor Union, an affiliate of the National Federation of Labor Unions.
“By being silent, (DOLE) is being complicit in the apparent campaign to silence the workers in Pantukan by any means possible, including murder,” Olalo said in a statement, adding that the management of the banana plantation and the Army’s 46th Infantry Battalion were continuing the vilification campaign against the union.