PHILIPPINES: Soldiers allegedly threaten union leaders and workers to stop their activities

Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes with deep concern about the continuing threats to four union leaders, including a union president, and dozens of other workers. Others preferred not to divulge their names. The soldiers had deliberately warned them, one after another that they would suffer consequences if they not stop their union activities.

CASE DETAILS: (According to information from the Center for Trade Union and Human Rights, Inc. (CTUHR))

The continuing threats which soldiers are making against union leaders and workers of the International Wiring System (IWS), a firm located inside the Special Export Processing Zone in Hacienda Luisita, Tarlac City, began in June of 2008.

They soldiers involved were attached to the 71st Infantry Battalion (IB) of the Northern Luzon Command, (NOLCOM); and the 7th Infantry Division (ID) of the Philippine Army (PA). These are the military units deployed in areas where the victims are residing and working.

Of over 25 complaints that have been received from the workers, only four complainants, namely Dexter Datu, union president; Ramon Lopez, union executive vice-president; Bong Tiamzon, union officer; and Nino Caling, union board member, have decided to come out in the open to expose the plight  in which they find themselves.

According to Dexter, it was on 7 June 2008 at 5:30am when four men, riding in two blue motorcycles, came to his house in Barangay (village) Maligaya, Tarlac City. The men introduced themselves as soldiers. One of them deliberately said: “stop your activities if you love your family and if you still want to spend more time with them”. They added “they won’t stop pursuing them (workers)”.

The soldiers also accused Dexter of “supporting the communists”. To get the attention of Dexter’s neighbors, one of them yelled: “This is Dexter Datu, who is using union funds to support the communists.” Dexter described the one who yelled as about 50 years of age. He also noticed that one of this person’s fingers was “crooked” or “curved”.

In the middle of their discussion, another soldier had offered Dexter a mobile phone SIM card and instructed him to use it if he wished to call them, but he declined. The soldiers also claimed that they were holding some documents, the contents of which they did not elaborate upon. They made the observation that they were looking at him for a very long time. 

Days before the soldiers came to Dexter’s house he had already noticed a black motorcycle, without a plate number, frequently driving back and forth in front of his house.

Apart from Dexter, his other colleague, Ramon Lopez, the union executive vice president, had also experienced a similar incident. Ramon’s wife, name withheld, relayed that on 2 June 2008 at 8:30am, two men arrived and knocked at her door in San Vicente Zone 1, Tarlac city.

They introduced their selves to as representatives from the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE); one introduced himself as Alex Aguilar. At the time though, Mr. Lopez was not at home. It was his wife only who spoke to the two representatives. 

Since the persons claimed that they were Ramon’s friends, his wife allowed them inside the house thinking that they had good intentions. However, she later noticed that they were carrying guns. While inside the house, she said they asked her several questions about her husband.  They said that the funding of her husband’s union was being used to support the communists.

When she asked for their identification, they were not able to produce any. Just before they left the house, one of them said: “If I were your husband, I would just concentrate on my job. You have many children… please tell your husband that we will come back”.

Five days later, at around 6am, four soldiers came back and stationed themselves in front of Ramon’s house. Ramon’s wife asked who they were. Instead of replying to her question they told her once again: “If he (Ramon) still loves his family, he must stop his activities… they are using union funds for the CPP-NPA”.

Also, on June 19, Nino Caling, the union’s board member, said that two soldiers, who introduced themselves as Mendoza and Peralta, came to his house. At the time he was asked to accompany them to the house of the village chairperson.

He went with them, and at the chairperson’s house, he met a certain Satur, who claimed he was attached to the intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP). Two soldiers introduced themselves as Ambulencia and Mendoza. Ambulencia claimed that that the union had two treasurers–one works in the company and the other within the Communist Party of the Philippines–New People’s Army (CPP-NPA).

In another incident, the soldiers went to the house of another union officer, Santos Asilo. Santos said that on July 9, at 9am, three soldiers came to his house, also in Tarlac city. Santos recalled that one of the soldiers introduced himself as James Palimlim, about 5 feet 7 inches tall; he was unable to recall the physical appearance of the other soldier.

Santos allowed the two to enter his house. At the start of their discussion, the soldiers spoke to him about workers’ issues–for instance, taxes, the Social Security System (SSS) and the union’s Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). The IWS’s union is due to negotiate for their CBA in the coming months.

However, as they carried on with their discussion, the soldiers shifted the topic to “anti-insurgency”. They told Santos that “(their) union was penetrated by leftist groups”; and that “the union should not ask for additional wages in (their) CBA” as it might result in the closure of their company.

Another union officer, Bong Tiamzon, also said that on August 2 at 3am, two men, who introduced themselves as Chris Cabrera and Santy, went to his house in Barangay San Manuel, of Tarlac city. He recalls that Chris’ finger was “crooked” or “curved”, a description similar to the person who met Dexter on June 7.

Like his colleagues, whom the soldiers had visited, they too had discussed various labor issues. They also claimed that “they have helped a lot of workers with their problems with SSS and taxes”. 

Bong was also asked “about the activities (that the union) conducted every May 1 (labour day), the union funds and the Php 70,000 (USD 1,478) that (they) had earned from selling scrap”. He recalled that while they were talking, the soldiers took a video recording of him using his mobile phone.

When Bong asked why they were taking a video recording of him, he was told that they were obliged to because their “union is already penetrated by leftist groups”.

Apart from being threatened and visited at their respective homes, the soldiers also frequently held public forums in different village halls. On these occasions they were carrying firearms and were wearing plain clothes. Although the topics in these forums were about labor issues, the soldiers took advantage of the situation. They criticized the IWS union’s supposed “failure” to address workers’ concerns, openly accusing it of having links with the CPP-NPA.

They held film showings and power point presentations, which both demonized unionists and activists. One was entitled: Knowing the Enemy. The workers were threatened that they would suffer consequences if they failed to attend any of the forums that were being held.

It is not the role of the soldiers to hold forums, in particular about the issues on labor. This is the domain of the labor department. In this case, the soldiers effectively undermined the union’s activity and exposed them to unnecessary danger on the pretext that they were supporting the communists. Family security has also been severely compromised.

The union leaders, workers and their respective families have been experiencing debilitating fear because of the soldiers continuing threats. The unionists are particularly concerned that something bad would happen to workers and families respectively, if they refused to refrain from their union activities. 

As mentioned earlier, the CTUHR had also received more than 25 complaints and sworn statements from workers with similar accounts.  The names and details of other incidents were withheld upon the victims request to protect their safety and security.

SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write letters to the concerned authorities requesting their immediate intervention in having these allegations against the soldiers investigated. They must be held accountable for continuously threatening union leaders and workers. The union leaders and workers, targets of such threats, must be afforded all necessary arrangements to promptly ensure their safety and security.

The AHRC has also written letters to the Special Rapporteur for human rights defenders and on extra-judicial, summary, or arbitrary executions calling for intervention in this case.

To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER