THE Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is ready to conduct its own probe on allegations that labor-related killings are rampant in the country, according to Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III.
The chief of the DOLE said on Thursday this was in response to the 2019 Global Rights Index of the International Trade Union Confederation of the Philippines (ITUC) branding the Philippines among the top 10 countries with the worst worker rights violations.
Bello said he took “a strong exception” to the ITUC report, which he said may be based on “imaginary” information.
ITUC report expressed alarm over the 10 trade unionists in the country who the group said were “assassinated” last year.
They include the nine striking sugar cane workers of the National Federation of Sugar Workers and Danny Boy Bautista, a 31-year-old harvester of the Japanese fruit exporter firm Sumifru (Philippines) Corp.
“This attack came just before President Duterte made a statement on October 28 stating that any further occupations of land by farmers should be dealt with harshly,” ITUC said.
Citing government data, Bello disputed the report that showed there were only five recorded labor-related killings during Duterte’s term.
“Only four were killed and one was a case of frustrated homicide,” Bello said.
He said the other reports raised by ITUC and even labor coalition Nagkaisa may have not been labor-related.
Nagkaisa claimed that since Duterte started his term, 43 were killed due to their role in labor unions.
“There are no official reports on these killings; then they would just make a conclusion they were killed because of their participation in unionism or labor advocacy,” Bello said.
“They cannot even give the names [of the victims], and where, when and how they were killed,” he said referring to the 43 incidents stated by Nagkaisa.
Nevertheless, Bello said the DOLE is ready to investigate the said case once labor groups provide them the necessary details of the said incidents.
“They could show us [the information] and we will cooperate with them to go after the people, who are responsible,” Bello said.
As a long-term proactive solution to the issue, Bello said they will also be increasing their existing pool of 800 labor inspectors by another 500 to help ensure the enforcement of labor laws in workplaces.
“The President put me here because of my track record in advocating rights of our workers and specially in protecting the rights of our workers,” Bello said. “We know the value of trade unionism. And we recognize the right of our workers.”