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Letter to President Macapagal-Arroyo
November 6, 2006
To: Her Excellency Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, President: Republic
of the Philippines
Re: Murder of Bishop Ramento of the Philippine Independent Church,
and repression and violence against other labour rights advocates
and human rights defenders
Dear President Macapagal-Arroyo:
On behalf of KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives, I
am writing to express deep concern over the ongoing shootings and
killings of human and labour rights promoters as well as police
assaults on striking workers in the Cavite Export Processing zone.
We know that Bishop Alberto Ramento of the Philippine Independent
Church was stabbed to death and his body found lying in his church
in Tarlac City on the morning of October 3. Bishop Ramento was the
chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Workers’ Assistance
Centre (WAC) and a life-long advocate for the rights of export processing
zone workers. According to WAC, Bishop Ramento’s name had
been put on the military’s “Order of Battle,”
or hit list, before he was brutally murdered. Coincidentally, his
murder came in the midst of two important strikes by garment workers
in the Cavite Export Processing Zone.
WAC has been a partner of KAIROS since 1999. KAIROS supports WAC’s
work in the Cavite Export Processing Zone helping workers defend
their political and economic rights, including the right to unionize
so that they can achieve better working conditions and fair wages.
Recent reports from WAC and other sources describe violent assaults
by municipal and EPZ police and private security guards on striking
workers at the Chong Won Fashion garment factory in the Cavite Export
Processing Zone. On the evening of September 27 striking workers
were brutally beaten by EPZ police at the Phils. Jeon Garments factory
in the same export-processing zone. On October 19th, EPZA security
forces violently dispersed the two picket lines and destroyed the
temporary huts set up by the workers for shelter from rain and severe
heat from the sun.
We strongly urge your government to take proactive steps to put
a stop to the police violence and discriminatory practices of the
Cavite Export Processing Zone authorities and to ensure the physical
safety and rights of workers and labour rights promoters in the
region. We also ask your government to support and fully cooperate
with an independent and impartial investigation into the murder
of Bishop Alberto Ramento, and the shooting of Gerardo Cristobal,
former union president and a member of the Solidarity of Cavite
Workers (SCW).
We request attention to these concerns by the government of the
Philippines, and look forward to receiving a full report on what
your government is doing to address these human and labour rights
violations, and to ensure the safety and rights of workers and human
and labour rights promoters.
Sincerely,
Mary Corkery
Executive Director, KAIROS
| cc. |
Atty. Lilia B. De Lima, Director-General
Philippine Economic Zone Authority
Roxas Blvd. cor. San Luis St., Pasay City
Philippines
dglbl@peza.gov.ph |
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The Honorable Ireneo Maliksi, Governor
Province of Cavite
Provincial Capitol Building
Trece Martirez City, Cavite
Philippines
Fax: (+63 46) 419-10-23 |
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Ms. Purificacion Quisumbing, Commissioner
Commission on Human Rights
SAAC Building, Commonwealth Ave.,
UP Complex, Diliman, Quezon City
Philippines
Fax: (+63 2) 929-01-02
Email: drpvq@yahoo.com |
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Rev. Fr. Jose Dizon, Executive Director
Workers’ Assistance Center (WAC)
Bahay Manggagawa, Indian Mango St., Manggahan Cpd.
Sapa I, Rosario,
Cavite 4106
Philippines
Fax No. (+63 46) 438 4736
Email: wacrdp@gmail.com |
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