Issue #1459      16 June 2010

Solidarity call

Condemn the brutal murder of Edward Panganiban!

Justice to all victims of trade union repression and extra-judicial killings in the Philippines!

At around 5:20pm on June 2, 2010 in Barangay Caingin, Santa Rosa, Laguna, Edward Panganiban was travelling on the way to work aboard his motorcycle on a narrow road in their village. Two unidentified motorcycle-riding men in helmets tailed him and suddenly fired shots at him point-blank. Panganiban died instantly, sustaining 12 gunshot wounds.

The family breadwinner, Panganiban, 27 years old, has been employed as a maintenance worker since 2004 in the Japanese-owned Takata Philippines Corporation in Laguna Technopark Incoporated, Biñan, Laguna. Family and community members described Edward as a home body who spent most of his time at work and at home. They also attested that Panganiban had no known enemies.

Panganiban’s death is clearly another case of extra-judicial killing.

This brings the number of victims from the labour movement in Southern Tagalog region to nine, and it is the 96th for the whole country (according to the documents of the Centre for Trade Union and Human Rights.

The Arroyo government declared militant unions, such as Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), as targets for neutralisation in its counter-insurgency campaign. Nevertheless, being an officer of an independent union and a low profile leader, Panganiban’s death is an outright statement that state forces do not spare independent unions from being targets of extra-judicial killings.

We seek your solidarity in this moment of injustice.

SUGGESTED ACTIONS

• Send appeal letters to Philippine authorities. Please also send cc copies to ncpwr.st@gmail.com and granahe.st@gmail.com
• Send solidarity messages to the union SALAMAT-Independent thru ncpwr.st@gmail.com
• In your capacity, hold protest and condemnation pickets in front of Philippine and Japanese embassies.  

Next article – Equal Pay – Day of Action

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