Group demands justice for the Marcos regime's killing of veteran labor leader
Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) members protested in front of Camp Crame in Quezon City on September 30 to reiterate their call for justice for the Marcos regime’s killing of veteran KMU labor organizer Jude Fernandez. Fernandez was killed by police agents in his residence in Binangonan, Rizal on September 29, 2023.
Fernandez was shot and claimed to have “fought back” while being served a warrant. However, the neighbors heard only two gunshots on that day, according to the worker’s investigation. There was also no evidence of a “shootout” inside the house.
“Until now, justice remains elusive for Jude, his family, and friends,” the KMU stated.
The group stated that they will not stop demanding justice not only for Jude Fernandez but also for all victims of extrajudicial killings under the Marcos regime.
“We will continue to carry on the legacy left by Jude Fernandez to further strengthen our fight for wages, jobs, and rights and against the state forces that hinder the people’s attainment of a better future,” the group added.
Ka Jude became an activist in 1975 while studying at UP-Los Baños. He was one of the leaders in the campaign for the return of democratic student councils, free campus press, student representation in the UP Board of Regents, and the reinstatement of Philippine History and Institution in the curriculum.
Along with other youths from the university, Ka Jude joined the labor and peasant movement during the martial law era. He played a key role in organizing workers at the Sunripe Dessicated Coconut Industry in Magdalena, Laguna, which paved the way for genuine, militant, and patriotic unionism and militant mass struggles during that time.