(stills of Ka Fort taken from ST-Exposure Tribute video)

 KILUSANG MAYO UNO

(May First Labor Center)

TAGAPAMANDILA NG TUNAY NA UNYONISMO

No. 63 Narra St. Bgy. Claro, Proj. 3 Quezon City

Telefax 421-0768, 421-0986 kilusangmayouno@gmail.com

NEWS RELEASE                    

September 27, 2005                                 

CHR promises investigation, public hearings on Ka Fort’s slaying

Workers schedule September 29 as National Day of protest and indignation on the killing of labor leader Ding Fortuna

The militant labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno today challenged the Commission on Human Rights through its Commissioner Purification Quisumbing to work double time in resolving the case of Diosadado “Ka Fort” Fortuna’s murder.

Representatives from Nestle workers union, Pagkakaisa ng mga Manggagawa sa Timog Katagalugan (PAMANTIK), National Coalition for the Protection of Workers Rights (NCPWR), KMU and Ka Fort’s wife, Luz, talked to Quisumbing yesterday to ask the Commission to prioritize resolution of Fortuna’s case. On the other hand, Quisumbing and CHR Executive Director Atty. Jake Mejia promised to conduct investigations and public hearings to shed light on the case and as to who are the perpetrators of the political assassination.

“We cannot rely on local authorities including the Laguna Provincial Command of the PNP to look into the case. For all we know, they could be involved in the planning, surveillance and execution of the brutal killing of Ka Fort. The military, police and intelligence units in Southern Tagalog have the all capacity and motives to exact such heinous crime as what had happened to Ka Fort on that fateful afternoon last September 22. Their record of violence is enough for us to consider them as the primary suspects in Ka Fort’s murder,” said PAMANTIK Secretary General Luz Baculo.

Nationwide protests vs. state repression, political killings

KMU Chairman Elmer Labog announced that on September 29, workers nationwide will lead a National Day of protest and indignation to denounce Ka Fort’s killing.

“Workers will go out of their factories and workplaces to mourn and protest Ka Fort’s death in the hands of the state and capitalist Nestle Philippines. As of now, we have two main suspects in the killing. Our hand points to the Arroyo government as a suspect while our other hand is directed at the management of Nestle Philippines. Ka Fort regarded only the Arroyo government and the Nestle management as his lifetime enemies. He fought the injustices and exploitation exacted upon by Nestle and Arroyo upon workers and the people. This was his only fault that he paid dearly with his life in the hands of mercenaries.”  

“Ka Fort is the first victim of Arroyo’s brand of Martial Law through the iron hand policy and calibrated preemptive response. And we are inviting all those who want to see Ka Fort’s remains to visit his wake at the Church of the Risen Lord in UP Diliman. While we condole and mourn with his family on this period of grieving, we are preparing our ranks for the September 29 protests,” Labog said.

A protest caravan will bring home Ka Fort to Laguna tomorrow for the last night of his wake at the Nestle Cabuyao picketline. ###