LABOR leaders from the Alyansa sa mga Mamumuo sa Sugbo-Kilusang Mayo Uno (AMA Sugbo-KMU) filed on Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021, a complaint and a request with the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) 7 to investigate the death threats they received on Jan. 17.
The labor leaders who signed the letter to CHR 7 are:
• Jaime Paglinawan of AMA Sugbo-KMU,
• Aldo Serat of Alyansa sa mga Mamumuong Kontraktwal sa Sugbo (ALSA Kontraktwal Cebu),
• Greg Perez of Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (PISTON)-Cebu, and
• Ronilo Gahator of Piston-Cebu.
AMA Sugbo-KMU said it “condemns” the death threats received by labor leaders who have been fighting for the interests of the workers in Cebu amid the coronavirus 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
The organization said workers have been suffering from retrenchment policies, rising prices of goods, lack of government aid, and lower wages during the pandemic.
“We strongly believe these death threats against our labor leaders signify the current administration’s fear of the strengthening labor movement. However, we also do not want to take any chances on the lives of our leaders, thus the request to CHR 7, as an independent investigative body, was made,” said AMA Sugbo-KMU in a statement.
The organization also called for public support in its request for an investigation, following cases of fellow activists who have received death threats or have been red-tagged or killed. (SunStar Cebu/With PR)