Fax: +011 -63 2.734 7084 April 20, 2011 His Excellency Benigno Simeon C. Aquino Ill President Republic ofthe Philippines Malacanang Palace JP Laurel Street, San Miguel Manila 1005 PHILIPPINES Dear President Aquino: (On behalf of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, a national union made up of over 180,000 members, | am writing to express our grave concem regarding the recent ‘murder of Philippines labour leader Celito Baccay, a 31-year-old union official at Maeno Giken Workers Organization-Independent (MAGIKWO-Ind.) at First Cavite Industral Estate (FCIE) in Dasmarinas, Cavite, Philippines. Baccay was gunned down on March 8 while driving his motorcycle home from an overtime shift atthe factory. The police blotter showed that the responding officers found one empty shell from a .9 mm pistol on the scene. As ofthis writing, the provincial police in Cavite have not issued a report of their own investigation on the said kiling, Baccay had been engaged in a lengthy union certification struggle at the Maeno Giken Inc. factory and was considered by his colleagues as a strong advocate for ‘workers in the factory |n 2008 a High-Level International Labour Organization (ILO) Mission visited the Philippines and made a series of recommendations to address the wave of extra-judicial kilings, human rights violations and ant-nion activity that plagued the country. The Mission heard from worker representatives in the Cavite Export Processing Zone who described the ant-union policies and practices in the Zone. 295Ginay Ollos OM ROFL | (13 S6E-2H0 | wamgsacalecnnThe ILO, in its report, urged the government to make “all efforts to ensure that ‘workers may exercise their trade union rights in a climate free from violence, threats and fear.” Itis disheartening, therefore, to learn that with your new government, extra- judicial killings and human rights violations continue unabated. The ILO also “urgefd] the Government to take all necessary measures so as 10 ‘ensure thatthe investigation and judicial examination of all pending allegations of ‘extrajudicial kilings, attempted murder, abduction and attempted abduction advance successfully and without delay...” We have high hopes, Mr. President, that your new government will act promptly and decisively to address this grave human rights concern, We ask that your government ‘+ conduct an immediate, impartial and thorough investigation into the murder of Celito Baccay, ‘+ file criminal charges against the perpetrators without delay; ‘+ ensure the protection of the families and co-unionists of Celio Baccay; ‘+ investigate reports of harassment and surveillance of leaders and members of MAGIKWO-Ind.; and + use all available means to protect the rights of the workers in Maeno Giken Inc. to freedom of association and collective bargaining, ‘Thank you for your attention in this matter. Sincerely, WZ John Gordon National President cc: Ms, Loretta Ann Rosales Chairperson ‘Commission on Human Rights Director General Raul Bacalzo Chief, Philippine National Police (PNP) Camp General Rafeel CrameHonoreble Leila de Lima ‘Secretary Department of Justice (DOJ) Hon, Rosalinda Baldoz Secretary Department of Labor and Employment Atty, Lia B, De Lima Director-General Philippe Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) Office of the Director-General