Arrest, relief of cops for killing Binangonan labor leader sought

MANILA, Philippines — An alliance of workers' organizations called on the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to immediately identify, relieve and detain all cops involved in the recent killing of veteran trade union organizer Jude Thaddeus Fernandez pending an investigation.

Fernandez — a member of the progressive Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) and a trade unionist since the Martial Law era — was killed in his home in Binangonan, Rizal last September 29 in an incident dubbed as an "extrajudicial killing." 

Agents of the Philippine National Police - Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) reportedly served Fernandez a search warrant but was fired shots after the latter allegedly fought back. The KMU refuted this, saying Fernandez was unarmed.

"Since they killed an innocent civilian, they [officers of the PNP-CIDG] should be immediately relieved from their positions and detained during the investigation," the Kilusan ng Manggagawang Kababaihan said in a statement, Saturday.

"Although Malacañang has already released a statement through Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin promising that it will take concrete steps to investigate the murder, workers will not believe in promises made by a regime whose hands are tainted with the blood of numerous Filipinos murdered, illegally arrested, and abducted by its police and armed forces."

Fernandez is said to be the 72nd victim of labor-related killings since 2016 and the fourth after the International Labor Organization (ILO) High Level Tripartite Mission last January 2023.

KMK claims that the killing of Ka Jude and other unionists is an attack against all Filipino workers and their rightful demand for higher wages, better working conditions, and democratic right to join and form unions.

"If the government is serious about bringing justice to Ka Jude, the PNP-CIDG should stop concocting fabricated stories to cover up the operation they carried out against the victim," KMK continued.

"In its latest statement, the PNP says that the one they killed in the operation was Oscar Dizon but family and colleagues in the labor movement say that Ka Jude is their victim. We demand that Malacañang end the continuing