INTERNATIONAL LABOUR-THE PHILIPPINES:
DROP CHARGES AGAINST PHILIPPINE LABOUR ACTIVISTS:

The following appeal comes from the Clean Clothes Campaign. It features not just the persecution of labour lawyer Remigo Saladero, mentioned previously on this blog, but also 72 other unionists being unfairly prosecuted.

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Philippine Labour Rights Lawyer Faces New Round of False Charges‏:
Within a week after being released from prison, labour lawyer Atty. Remigio D. Saladero Jr., and five other Philippine labour and human rights activists face another round of trumped-up charges of murder.Thanks to your previous action, Saladero was freed from prison on February 5, 2009. But your continued support is needed to ensure that he remains free. Please take action today.
Take action now at:
http://www.cleanclothes.org/urgent/09-03-03.htm#action
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Saladero and others released from prison
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On February 5, 2009, the regional trial court in Mindoro, Philippines announced that six detained labour and human rights activists, including Atty. Remigio D. Saladero Jr., were to be immediately released. Along with 66 other labour and human rights activists, the six had been charged with multiple murder and attempted murder in a New People's Army ambush in Mindoro in 2006.




The court ruled that proper legal procedures were not followed, and therefore put an end to the case against them.




This court ruling is a victory for the labour and human rights movement in the Philippines who have argued that these kind of accusations seem specifically designed to cripple the Philippine labour movement by putting activists behind bars, forcing them into hiding, and burdening their colleagues with organising a legal defense. Sadly, just barely a week after Atty. Remigio D. Saladero Jr. and the five other activists were released, a new murder case has been filed against them. Although no arrest warrants have yet been issued, it is clear that the Philippine authorities are determined to continue their legal offensive.
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New case copy of the Mindoro accusations
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The current case involves the killing of Ricky Garmino, member of the paramilitary group Civilian Auxiliary Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU), in Rizal on July 29, 2008. Witnesses allegedly recognized 70 of the 72 labour and human rights activists named in the Mindoro case, and were able to name them in the exact same order as in the Mindoro case files. Full-time lawyers, polio and diabetes patients, and activists in wheelchairs are included in the list of accused. A preliminary investigation in this case is set on March 6 at the Rizal prosecutor's office.




Atty. Remigio D. Saladero Jr. and his group of lawyers have filed a petition for protection against unlawful acts of public officials (writ of Amparo) with the Supreme Court. It remains unclear whether the Mindoro case against the 72 activists will be re-filed, which could again lead to arrest warrants of all activists concerned.
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Take action today
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Write to the Philippine government and Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) to immediately stop the persecution of labour and human rights activists.
Take action now at:http://www.cleanclothes.org/urgent/09-03-03.htm#action
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THE LETTER:
Please go to THIS LINK to send the following letter to Philippine authorities.
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Write to the Philippine government and Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) to immediately stop the persecution of labour and human rights activists.
SAMPLE LETTER
TO
Atty. Rafael Francisco, Chairperson of ECOP CSR Committee. Email: raf@cadp.com.ph
Jose Roland Moya, Deputy Director-General of ECOP. Email: jramoya@hotmail.com
Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, President of the Philippines. Email: corres@op.gov.ph
CC Ms. Leila De Lima, Philippines Commission on Human Rights. Email: chr.delima@yahoo.com
CC Secretary Raul Gonzalez, Philippines Dept. of Justice. Email: raulgonzalez_doj@yahoo.com
CC Secretary Ronaldo V. Puno, Department of Interior and Local Government. Email: rvpuno@dilg.gov.ph
CC Secretary Marianito D. Roque, Department of Labor and Employment. Email: osec@dole.gov.ph

To whom it may concern,
I have been informed by the Clean Clothes Campaign that there has been a continued effort by the Government of the Philippines and the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) to intimidate labour and human rights activists and thwart their efforts to combat impunity for violence against labour leaders.




I have learned that due process was not followed in the recent filing of arrest warrants for 72 people, including many of the most eminent labour leaders in southern Tagalog, in the "Mindoro case". On February 5, the Regional Trial Court, in the Fourth Judicial Region, Oriental Mindoro, branch XXXIX (39), Calapan City, ruled that the case against six detained labour leaders and advocates, including Atty Remigio D. Saladero Jr., was quashed. However, within one week of their release, a total of 70 people included in the “Mindoro case”, again appear as accused under similar dubious circumstances in the murder of Ricky Garmino on July 29, 2008. Furthermore, I am shocked to learn that ECOP has stood in opposition of a formal investigation by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) into the violence against labour leaders in the Philippines. Given that the ILO is an internationally recognised and respected body, I would expect the ILO would be welcomed to the Philippines.




I send this email in the hopes that the government of the Philippines and ECOP will:

*End the campaign of intimidation against labour leaders and supporters;
*Invite the ILO to do a full independent investigation into the human rights violations in the Philippines;
*Drop all the criminal charges against and stop persecution of the labour and human rights advocates, activists and organisers included in the "Mindoro case" and the “Garmino case”.

I stand in solidarity with the workers of the Philippines and look forward to the day when they will enjoy the full benefits of internationally recognised labour rights.
Sincerely,

INTERNATIONAL LABOUR-THE PHILIPPINES:

MORE REPRESSION OF PHILIPPINO LABOUR AND HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS:

Molly has mentioned the case of Philippino labour lawyer Remigio Saladero on this blog before. Here is further news of other repressive actions by the government and bosses of the Philippines. Also a call for solidarity from the Clean Clothes Campaign.

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MORE ACTION NEEDED TO PROTECT PHILIPPINE LABOUR ORGANISERS:

Since we reported on the arrest of labour lawyer Remigio Saladero onOctober 23, 2008, the Philippine authorities have issued arrest warrants for 71 other labour and human rights activists.

They are being accused of murder and attempted murder for allegedly taking up arms against the government and attacking police forces in an ambush in Mindoro province in March 2006. The accusations are based on a statement of one witness whose testimony is highly questionable and no investigation has taken place. Six activists have already been arrested and the others may be seized by the military police at any moment.

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Take action now!Go to: http://www.cleanclothes.org/urgent/08-12-17.htm#action

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False Charges Being Used to Cripple the Labour Movement

Among the activists pursued by the military and charged by the prosecutor in the Mindoro case are at least 15 labour leaders and organisers who have been working for years in the Philippine export processing zones (see the list below). The accused include activists,organisers and leaders from a variety of trade unions and labour organisations, including the Workers’ Assistance Center in Cavite, the transportation unions, and the workers’ unions at Nestle, Toyota and Honda.

The draconian measures of the Philippine government seem specifically designed to cripple the Philippine labour movement by make union organising even more difficult and prohibiting strikes. In recent years,the government of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has come under intense international and domestic criticism for hundreds of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances of leftist activists, journalists, lawyers and clergy by members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police.

In response to the criticism, the number of such killings dropped, but convictions of perpetrators for serious crimes of this type remain negligible. Local activists have also expressed concern that the continuing harassment and arrests of activists on trumped-up charges shows that the government is merely changing its tactics. Their fears were confirmed in a recent statement by the chairperson of the Philippine Commission on Human Rights, Leila de Lima”; “Those who are charged fit perfectly the profile of the usual victims of extra-judicial killings and enforced disappearances,” de Lima told representatives of a broad coalition of workers unions, church groups, students, and lawyers groups who are campaigning for the release of Atty. Remigio Saladero Jr.

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Employers Confederation Blocks ILO Investigation

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The International Labour Organisation, in response to a complaint filed by a Philippine labour organisation two years ago, requested that thePhilippine government allow it to send in a high-level mission to investigate the killings and harassments of union leaders and members, and other violations of freedom of association in the Philippines. The government has thus far refused. The Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP), which includes employers such as Nestle, Toyota, andHonda, is adamantly opposed to the investigation. For years, these companies have been engaged in standoffs with democratically elected unions.

For more information, see also http://labourrightsblog.typepad.com andhttp://freeattysaladero.wordpress.com/

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Take action at: http://www.cleanclothes.org/urgent/08-12-17.htm#actionor adapt/send the sample letter below:

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Send your letter to:

* Atty. Rafael Francisco, Chairperson of ECOP CSR Committee. Email: raf@cadp.com.ph

* Jose Roland Moya, Deputy Director-General of ECOP. Email: jramoya@hotmail.com

* Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, President of the Philippines. Email: corres@op.gov.ph

and a CC to:

* Ms. Leila De Lima, Philippines Commission on Human Rights. Email: chr.delima@yahoo.com

* Secretary Raul Gonzalez, Philippines Dept. of Justice. Email: raulgonzalez_doj@yahoo.com

* Secretary Ronaldo V. Puno, Department of Interior and Local Government. Email: rvpuno@dilg.gov.ph

THE LETTER

To whom it may concern,

I have been informed by the Clean Clothes Campaign that there has been a continued effort by the Government of the Philippines and the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) to intimidate labour and human rights activists and thwart their efforts to combat impunity for violence against labour leaders.

Furthermore, I am shocked to learn that ECOP has stood in opposition of a formal investigation by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) into the violence against labour leaders in the Philippines. Given thatthe ILO is an internationally recognised and respected body, I would expect the ILO would be welcomed to the Philippines.

I have also learned that due process was not followed in the recent filing of arrest warrants for 72 people, including many of the mosteminent labour leaders in southern Tagalog, in the "Minodoro" case.

I send this email in the hopes that the government of the Philippines and ECOP will:

* End the campaign of intimidation against labour leaders and supporters;

* Invite the ILO to do a full independent investigation into the human rights violations in the Philippines;

*Release all arrested activists and drop all the criminal charges against the labour and human rights advocates, activists and organisers included in the "Mindoro case"

I stand in solidarity with the workers of the Philippines and look forward to the day when they will enjoy the full benefits of internationally recognised labour rights.

Sincerely,

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List of Labour Leaders Charged by Philippine Government in the MindoroMurder Case

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1. Romeo Legaspi (Chairperson, PAMANTIK-KMU; National President,Organized Labour Association in Line Industries and Agriculture(OLALIA-KMU); President, Nagkakaisang Lakas ng Manggagawa sa Honda (NLMH- OLALIA);Chairperson, Anakpawis-Timog Katagalugan);

2. Rolando Mingo (President, Southern Tagalog Region Transport Sector Organization, (STARTER);Vice President, Pinagkaisang Lakas ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (PISTON); 3. Emmanuel Dionida, (Executive Director, Labour Education Advocacy Development Research Services Inc.);

4. Nestor San Jose (Rizal Provincial Coordinator, Anakpawis; Coordinator, Makabayang Organisasyon ng Tsuper at Operator sa Rizal(MOTOR) –PISTON);

5. Luz Baculo (Secretary General, Pamantik-KMU; National Council Member,KMU);

6. Berlin Justo (Calamba City coordinator, Bayan Muna; Secretary General, Calamba Federation Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association; Former Baranggay Councilor, Brgy. Palingon, Calamba City);

7. Agaton Bautista (Batangas Provincial Coordinator, Anakpawis; Secretary General, Samahan ng mga Magbubukid sa Batangas (SAMBAT));

8. Samuel Dizon (Coordinator, Samahan Pang-transportasyong Rumuruta sa Kalakhang Probinsya ng Laguna (SPARKPLAG) – Piston);

9. Lucio Amarante (Staff, Transport Organizer, STARTER-PISTON);

10. Henry Halawig (Paralegal staff, Banzuela Law Office; Former Board of Directors, OLALIA-KMU);

11. Arnie Seminiano (Member, Ilaw at Buklod ng Manggagawa-Kilusang Mayo Uno (IBM-KMU);

12. Garizaldy Constantino (Campaign Officer, Anakpawis Party list; Former Campaign Officer, Kilusang Mayo Uno Labour Leader, Nestle Union);

13. Romeo Sevilla (Member, Ilaw at Buklod ng Manggaga-Kilusang Mayo Uno (IBM-KMU));

14. Emmanuel Asuncion (Board Member- Workers’ Assistance Center);

15. Remigio Saladero (General Counsel-KMU; Pro-Labour Legal Assistance Center)

INTERNATIONAL LABOUR-THE PHILIPPINES:

HELP FREE JAILED LABOUR LAWYER:

The following appeal comes from the International Labor Rights Forum, a project of the Union Voice website.this concerns the arrest of labour lawyer Remigio Saladero in the Philippines. read on.

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Demand the Release of Labor Lawyer in the Philippines:
ILRF has just learned that on Wednesday Remigio Saladero, the chief legal counsel for the KMU (an independent labor federation in the Philippines) and the union representing Dole Philippines's workers, was illegally arrested by the Philippine government. Mr. Saladero is a close ally of ILRF and we are deeply concerned about his detention by the Philippine government.

Please take action now to tell the U.S and Philippine governments that the world is watching. We are asking the Philippines government to release Atty. Remigio Saladero, drop the charges levied against him as a pretext for his detention, AND create an independent investigating team to investigate the threats and intimidation to the Pro-labor Legal Assistance Center.

Mr. Saladero is being charged with conspiracy to commit rebellion and murder for allegedly participating in an undisclosed murder in Mindoro; charges such as these are becoming increasingly more common tactic used by the governments as it steps up its legal attacks against civil society organization in the Philippines, politicians, church leaders and labor activists, who speak out against the policies of President Arroyo.

ILRF is deeply troubled by Atty. Saladero’s detention because it further restricts the ability of both labor organizations, like the KMU, and the legal profession in the Philippines to exercise their rights and vigorously defend themselves and others against the Government of the Philippines, who is responsible for promoting a climate of violence and impunity, and companies like Dole Foods, who thrive in an environment where violence against trade unions is common and justice is rarely pursued.

About Remigio Saladero:
Atty. Remigio Saladero is a labor lawyer at the public interest law firm Pro-Labor Legal Assistance Center (PLACE) in the Philippines. Saladero is a graduate of the San Beda College of Law and was a law professor at the Lyceum and the Dominican College in the Philippines. He is a columnist for Pinoyweekly, a weekly newspaper based in Quezon City and he writes essays on various labor cases.

Tell me more

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Please go to THIS LINK to send the following letter to the authorities in the Philippines.

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Dear [ Decision Maker ],
(Edit Letter Below)

Given the recent arrest of Remigio Saladero, I am deeply concerned by the actions of the Philippine government in its choice to prosecute a labor lawyer that has defended the rights of workers for many years. I am troubled by the notion that this arrest is part of a broader effort by the Philippine government to silence those seeking justice for workers.

As you know labor lawyer Remigio Saladero, the chief legal counsel for the KMU (an independent labor federation in the Philippines) and the union representing Dole Philippine's workers, was taken into police custody on October 22 for charges that are considered completely false by labor advocates.

I am asking that you do everything in your power to:
- Release Atty. Remigio Saladero from custody.
- Drop the cases of arson, destruction of property, conspiracy to commit rebellion and frustrated and multiple charges filed against him.
- Create an independent investigating team to investigate the series of surveillances on PLACE law center.
Sincerely,

[Your name]

[Your address]