[APWSLMembers 438] Worker dead in Compostela waylaying

[Kilusang Mayo Uno]

KILUSANG MAYO UNO
Southern Mindanao Region (KMU-SMR)
Tagapamandila Ng Tunay Na Unyonismo
55A-8 Sacred Heart Apartments, Barrio Obrero, 
Davao City. Tel. No. 305.4962 kmusmr at yahoo.com


media release
December 17, 2006

Worker dead in Compostela waylaying

DAVAO CITY­At around 12:30 in the afternoon 
today, after less than 48 hours at the Intensive 
Care Unit, Gerson Lastimoso, member of 
Nagkahiusang Mamumuo sa Suyapa Farm 
(NAMASAN-NAFLU-KMU), was declared dead by doctors 
at the Davao Regional Hospital here.

Lastimoso was one of the five workers of 
NAMASUFA-NAFLU-KMU who were waylaid early morning 
of December 15 at Brgy. New Alegria, Compostela. 
He was with Vicente Barrios, president of the 
union; Andres Lagare, the union’s vice president; 
Aldin Cortez, member of the board of directors, 
and; union member Doniglenn Sundon.

Barrios sustained gunshot wounds in his left arm 
while Cortez was hit in his upper right back. 
Sundon was hit in his throat that penetrated to 
the other side and is still in critical 
condition. Lagare did not sustain any shot wounds.

Omar Bantayan, secretary general of Kilisang Mayo 
Uno-Southern Mindanao, said, ”We hoped the 
incident would not cost any of the lives of the 
victims. Gerson was still in critical condition 
yesterday but is able to respond to pain. When 
the news broke about his death, a few hours ago, 
we were shocked and grew angry over this 
senseless injustice. We denounce in the strongest 
terms this hostility against struggling workers.”

Barrios was able to give comment about Gerson’s 
death. Deeply saddened by the news, he lamented, 
”The object of the gunmen was clearly me. I was 
riding with Gerson that morning and knew that if 
he were not there, the killers would have 
peppered me with bullets. I will forever be 
indebted to Gerson for his heroism and 
unrelenting struggle for the cause of banana workers in Compostela.”

The four workers fetched Barrios the morning of 
the waylaying as a precaution resolved by the 
union following a series of attempts against 
Barrios’ life. They rode on convoy to the packing 
plant in the morning and took Barrios home in the 
afternoon for more than a month before the incident.

Lastimoso’s death puts the toll of 
politically-motivated killings of union leaders 
and members to 32. Bantayan said that KMU-SMR are 
gearing up for a series of protest actions in the 
next days to condemn this blatant and murderous 
repression to workers and the militant trade unionism.

Reference:        Omar 
Bantayan                                                  0921.255.0961
Nelson Bautista, Media Officer                           305.4962