April 19, 2011

His Excellency Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III

President
Republic ofthe Philippines
Malacanang Palace
JP Laurel Street, San Miguel
Manila 1005
PHILIPPINES
Fax: +011-63-2-734-7084
Tel: +63 2 735 6201 /564 1451 to 80

Dear President Aquino:

On behalf of the Ontario Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines (OCHRP) in Ottawa, Canada, I
write this letter to express alarm concerning the recent murder of Celito Baccay, labour leader and union
official at Maeno Giken Workers Organization-Independent (MAGIKWO-Ind.) at First Cavite Industrial
Estate (FCIE) in Dasmarinas, Cavite, Philippines.

Baccay was gunned down on March 8, 2011 while driving his motorcycle home from an overtime shift at
the factory. The police blotter showed that the responding officers found one empty shell from a .9 mm
pistol on the scene. As of this writing, the provincial police in Cavite have not issued a report of their own
investigation on the said killing.

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.

In 2009 a High-Level International Labour Organization (ILO) Mission visited the Philippines and made
a series of recommendations to address the wave of extra-judicial killings, human rights violations and
anti-union activity that plagued the country. The Mission heard from worker representatives in the Cavite
Export Processing Zone who described the anti-union policies and practices in the Zone.

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." It is disheartening, therefore, to learn
that with your new government, extra-judicial killings and human rights violations continue unabated.

The ILO also "urge] d] the Government to take all necessary measures so as to ensure that the
investigation and judicial examination of all pending allegations of extrajudicial killings, attempted
murder, abduction and attempted abduction advance successfully and without delay ... "

We expect Mr. President, that your new government will act promptly and decisively to address this grave
human rights concern.

We respectfully 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 eo-unionists of Celito Baccay;
• investigate reports of harassment and surveillance of labour leaders and members ofMAGIKWO-
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.

Respectfully yours,

Kelti Cameron
Ontario Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines

cc: Ms. Loretta Ann Rosales, Director General RauI Bacalzo, Honorable Leila de Lima, Hon. Rosalinda
Baldoz., Atty. Lilia B. De Lima