Labor union head survives ambush

BALANGA City: The labor union head of Dunlop Slazenger at the Bataan Economic Zone suffered four gunshot wounds but miraculously survived the ambush staged by still unidentified men some meters away from his residence in Mountain View, Mariveles on Wednesday.

Teody Guinto said his brother, Ismael Guinto Jr., 41, union president of the Confederation of Filipino Workers-Dunlop in Mariveles, Bataan, sustained four gunshot wounds, two at the right arm and two at the left leg.

The union leader, a native of Samal, Bataan, but residing at Lupang Pangako in Mountain View, underwent his first operation at the Saint Joseph Hospital in Balanga on Wednesday afternoon and will have another one for the installation of stainless steel support in the leg.

Guinto said his brother left his house on motorcycle shortly before 5 a.m. to report for work when fired at. “He was wearing crash helmet and it was still dark so he did not see who fired at him suddenly,” he said in Tagalog.

He said his brother has no idea why he was shot, as he has no known enemies.

Violy Guinto, wife of the victim, said Ismael has not told him of any threat on his life. The couple has been employees of Dunlop for 17 and 15 years, respectively.

Rose Gaza, labor union secretary and a Dunlop employee for 23 years, also said the union leader, who is on his second term as president, is a man without enemies. She said the union has 239 members.

She added all the local workers of the British firm, famous as producer of tennis balls, numbering more than a thousand, including casuals and staff members, condemned the slay try.

Police reportedly recovered eight empty shells from 9mm at the scene of the shooting. –Ernie B. Esconde, Manila Times