FMWM is a member of Migrante Canada - an alliance of 16 grassroots organizations across Canada

PRESS STATEMENT
14 April 2011

UPHOLD AND DEFEND WORKERS' RIGHTS!

JUSTICE TO CELlTO BACCAY AND ALL VICTIMS
OF TRADE UNION REPRESSION!

The Filipino Migrant Workers' Movement (FMWM) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada extends its deepest sympathy to the
family and friends of Celito Baccay, a union leader murdered by unidentified gunmen in Dasmarinas, Cavite,
Philippines on March 8, 2011.

Baccay had been a worker for five years at the Maeno Giken lnc., a Japanese-owned steel factory operating inside
the First Cavite Industrial Estate (FCIE). Maeno Giken Inc. manufactures steel structures and parts of heavy
equipments like container crane, fuel and chemical tanks used locally by different Japanese-owned companies. Half
of their products are exported to Japan.

A fact-finding mission conducted by the Worker' Assistance Center (WAC), Center for Trade Union and Human
Rights (CTUHR), and the Solidarity of Cavite Workers (SCW) reports that workers of Maeno Giken Inc. claimed that
harassment against them heightened when they started to form a union. Workers said they were intimidated by
Company Vice President for Operations Gart Dennis Melchor who was very much against the union, bringing his
firearms to work often, cleaning and loading the pistols with bullets, in the workplace. They are also aware of
Melchor's connections with the army and police officers.

Being a board member of the workers union MAGIKWO (Maeno Giken Workers Organization), Celito Baccay was
also considered by his co-workers as the union's founder and the most fearless among the union leaders. This is why
Maeno Giken Inc. attempted to eo-opt Baccay by offering him a promotion. Yet he declined because he knew that it
would disqualify him from being a union leader and member. He chose service to his co-workers over his personal
advancement.

We in the Filipino Migrant Workers' Movement condemn the killing of Baccay as well as leaders of unions and other
people's organizations who assert people's rights and advance their welfare. While these are done to threaten and
silence union leaders and human rights defenders, the perpetrators protect the interests of capital i.e., foreign
multinationals and their local hirelings to ensure the continuous flow of profit into their coffers.

Despite massive protests by human rights advocates and the ILO high-level mission here in the country to investigate
trade union repression and extrajudicial killings, there has been no stop to the killings, other repressive measures and
rights violations. The presidential election in May of last year was supposed to give Filipinos a more peaceful
environment where the basic rule of law should exists, still, even with a new president in place, these criminal acts
continue! It is as if these are condoned by elements in the civilian and military bureaucracies. Their failure to take
adequate action in response to these dreadful crimes clearly deprives people of their right to life.

The lack of an efficient police investigation, the government's being irresponsive to intervene, and the absence of
protection for witnesses, are totally unacceptable!

We join the rest of the Filipino people in seeking justice for Celito Baccay. We call on the Aquino government to
conduct an immediate, impartial and more thorough investigation into this heinous crime and into the anti-union
activities of the Maeno Giken management.

Justice for Celito Baccay! Justice for all victims of trade union repression! End the killings!
Uphold and defend people's democratic rights!

Reference:

Cathy Carpio
Chairperson
647.210.5662

593 Kennedy Road, Unit 20, Toronto, Ontario M1K 2B2

Email: fmw.movement@yahoo.ca
http://migrante.ca/