By KYLE EDWARD FRANCISCO

QUEZON CITY — Times Employees Union (TEU) culminated their 400 km march-caravan in a picket and a program in front of the National Labor Relations Commission-National Capital Region (NLRC-NCR) office Monday, November 5, 2012.

They were joined by members of the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) to highlight their disappointment to the slow execution of Supreme Court decision favoring the workers. At the height of the program, the picket line grew as members from different sectoral organizations came to express their support to the workers.

The members of TEU decided to launch the march-caravan after Arbiter Patricio Libo-on issued a verbal order to Sheriff Ronnie Jalalain preventing the sheriff to implement the Writ of Execution last October 29 and 30 despite the absence of a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO).

Thirty individuals started the march from Vigan City on November 2 were later joined by their other union members along the way to Manila. Other union members who were not able to join the march-caravan for health and other reasons mobilized residents in their locality to provide refreshments and snacks for the group.

Elmer Labog, National Chairperson of KMU expressed their support to TEU and assailed the NLRC’s slow implementation of the SC decision. “The long wait and suffering that TEU is experiencing are clear manifestation of the government’s indifference and negligence to the plight of workers”, Labog added.

In a statement, TEU demanded that Arbiter Patricio Libo-on explain why he prevented Sheriff Ronnie Jalalain from implementing the order to execute the P43 million monetary reward against Mencorp Transport System, Inc. and Spouses Reynaldo and Virginia Mendoza, and his reluctance to issue the Writ of Execution for the updated monetary reward of 2011 totaling to more than P97 million.

The group also called for the immediate dismissal of the third party claim filed by a certain Melissa Lim who allegedly bought the transport company from the Mendoza’s, and the denial of Mencorp’s petition for Arbiter’s Libo-on to inhibit from the case.

A dialogue with Arbiter Libo-on was held but only 3 representatives were allowed to enter the NLRC. Honorio Arcaina and Ronal Fariñas, TEU President and Vice President, and another individual from KMU National Office negotiated in behalf of the workers.

According to Arcaina, the Arbiter gave his word to release all the decisions and notice of execution the following week. Arcaina further added that officers of TEU will continue to monitor and follow-up Libo-on’s commitment. # nordis.net