International Labor Organization to probe extra-judicial Philippine killings

These killings usually of union members and left activists and reporters has been an ongoing problem. The AFP has often come under suspicion but no doubt the culprits vary from case to case. For journalists the Philippines is quite dangerous although this has not stopped the country from having a vibrant press with many reports quite critical of the Arroyo government.


Int'l Labor organization to probe extra-judicial killings in Philippines
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MANILA, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- The International Labor Organization (ILO) will soon probe the extrajudicial killings of trade unionists, forced disappearances and labor-related harassment in the Philippines, a local labor group said.
During their visit to the Philippines on Sept. 22-29, ILO representatives from Geneva, Switzerland and Asia-Pacific region will conduct consultations with the Philippine government and workers' groups and inspect two major manufacturing plants in central and southern Luzon, the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) said in a statement.
The team will take into account in particular the views of victims and families of some 98 labor union leaders who were killed and is expected to submit a report to the ILO governing body within the year, the KMU said.
Despite a drop in numbers, extrajudicial killings persisted in the Philippines. Human rights activists and foreign specialists have blamed men in uniform for the gross violation of human rights but such claim has been repeatedly denied by the government.
Apart from trade unionists, hundreds of political activists, journalists, and religious leaders in the Philippines are said to have been killed or abducted in the past decade.