DAVAO CITY, Philippines – A union member of Sumifru company was gunned down by unidentified men in Compostela town on Wednesday evening.
The victim was identified as Danny Boy Bautista, 31. Davao Today learned that he was gunned down at about 6:00 pm in Barangay Poblacion, Compostela. He sustained four gun shot wounds that resulted his death.
According to Paul John Dizon, speaking for Nagkahiusang Mamumuo sa Suyafa Farms (NAMASUFA), the slain worker was a union marshall since the strike started last October 1, 2018.
Bautista is a harvester for five years of Packing Plant 340. He is an active member of NAMASUFA.
NAMASUFA -NAFLU-KMU condemned the recent attack against their member and demand immediate justice.
Dizon said that the killing of Bautista is “just a manifestation that the company, in connivance with authorities continuously attack the right of the workers to air their sentiments” even with the legality of their strike.”
“We strongly believe that the killing of our colleague is in connection to our ongoing struggle against Sumifru. The company has done so many effort to stop us” said Dizon.
Dizon said that several members of their union experienced harassment and threat. He added that other workers even received letters “telling them to stop from joing the strike and the union” and just return to work.
On October 11, hundred of union workers were also hurt after unidentified men accompanied by the military and policemen demolished the seven strike camps of Namasufa.(davaotoday.com)
