MANILA, Philippines – Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said the Philippine government will ensure the conduct of an impartial probe into the killing in Binangonan, Rizal of labor leader Jude Thaddeus Fernandez of Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU).

“This administration stands for the creation of a fair and just society for all, and guarantees the inalienability of the people’s fundamental rights and welfare. These basic freedoms must be meaningfully upheld and never curtailed by any form of violence,” Bersamin said in a statement.

“To that end, we will take concrete steps to mobilize all relevant government agencies towards effectively conducting a thorough and impartial investigation into the matter,” the executive secretary added.

Bersamin also said that the government offers condolences to Fernandez’s family, including the “labor groups and unions whom he has helped.”

On October 4, the KMU said personnel of the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP CIDG) allegedly shot dead Fernandez at around 4 pm on September 29. The police were serving a warrant when Fernandez allegedly “fought back,” forcing the cops to retaliate and shoot the labor leader.

But, the labor group refuted this and said that Fernandez did not have any firearm because he was a labor leader. The KMU added that based on the fact-finding mission its conducted, “there were no signs of resistance on the part of Fernandez” during the operation.

The Binangonan police authorities, however, said there was no record of Fernandez’s death.

Police Lieutenant Eduardo Balita, Binangonan police officer-in-charge, told Rappler that there was no Jude Thaddeus Fernandez in their records. Instead, it was a certain Oscar Dizon who was reportedly killed during the CIDG operation.

KMU secretary general Jerome Adonis refuted this claim, telling Rappler that he personally identified Fernandez as the person who was killed during the operation. He added that the victim’s sibling also identified Fernandez.

The labor leader is the 72nd victim of labor-related killings since 2016, based on the KMU’s tally. – Rappler.com