THE Secretary General of the Kilusang Mayo Uno-Southern Mindanao Region (KMU-SMR) reported being harassed by individuals allegedly affiliated with the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Forces (NTF-Elcac).
On Tuesday, November 14, KMU-SMR took to Facebook to strongly condemn the reported harassment against Paul John "PJ" Dizon and the trade union movement in the region.
The incident allegedly occurred on Monday afternoon, November 13, at Dizon's residence, where he was visited by individuals claiming to be members of NTF-Elcac.
According to KMU-SMR's Facebook post, these individuals intimidated Dizon, pressuring him to "surrender" to government authorities to supposedly clear his name. They warned that failure to comply with their demands would result in criminal charges being filed against Dizon.
The threat follows nearly a year of the High-Level Tripartite Mission of the International Labor Organization, which aims to address violations of workers' freedom of association.
“State forces such as the NTF-Elcac, the police, and the military should be held accountable for the relentless and systematic campaign of cracking down on dissent and the people's right to organize,” KMU-SMR said.
The labor group also highlighted other instances of intimidation and harassment targeting workers, including Jaime Paglinawan, vice chair for Visayas at KMU, and the case of KMU organizer Elizabeth "Loi" Magbanua, who was reportedly kidnapped.
KMU called for an end to red-tagging, harassment, extrajudicial killings, and other forms of human rights violations. They urged the public to join this call on Thursday, November 20, a day commemorating the fight for freedom.
Women Workers United (WWU), along with women's rights advocates from the Davao Region, expressed solidarity with Dizon, opposing infringements on trade union rights and harassment in all its forms. RGP