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LEU to sue LCMCo in Int’l Court

BAGUIO CITY (Aug. 17) — The Lepanto Employees Union (LEU) will file criminal charges against three institutions at the International Peoples’ Tribunal. The LEU will submit its complaint before the tribunal against the 1064th Provincial Mobile Group (PMG) of the Benguet Philippine National Police (PNP) headed by Col. Ernesto Gaab of the Task Force Lepanto, the management of the Lepanto Consolidated Mining Company (LCMC) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on August 19 which coincides with the observance of the National Minority Week which will be done in Manila.

LEU is going to sue the LCMC for its continuing refusal to recognize its laborers’ rights. LEU is presently on strike since June 2, 2005 against the company. The union accuses the management of the company of stealing their Social Security System (SSS) contributions, payments of other loans and some of their monetary as well as non-monetary benefits. The union added that the management denied their demands in their supposed to be 23rd Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) instead offered minimal provisions.

Union president Ninian K. Lang-agan said that the management instead of addressing the real issues why the workers went on strike distributed notices of termination to the officers and members of LEU. Lang-agan added that the management headed by the resident manager Augusto Villaluna, resident asst. manager Engr. Ernesto Laoagan and Atty. Weldy Manlong ordered the padlocking of the bunkhouses and quarters of the striking workers. Lang-agan furthered that the company employed brute force through the hired security personnel and reaction force led by retired Army Col. Wilhelm Doromal.

LEU will also file criminal charges against the members of the 1064th PMG of the Benguet PNP for carrying out violent dispersals, intimidations and harassments against the legitimate striking workers. LEU auditor and spokesperson Ronald Maslian said that the PNP under the command of Task Force Lepanto chief Col. Gaab committed numerous police brutalities when they directly dispersed the workers in the picket lines and escorted the entrance of supplies and scab workers inside the picketed gates of the mines.

“Countless workers, together with the women and children were hurt because of the unlawful interference of the PNP in the labor dispute between the workers and the company, these PNP members served as the security force of LCMC. Col. Gaab, with his subordinates Major Brent Madjaco, Mankayan police Chief Capt. Edward Aquintey and others have already ordered 16 dispersals even without official mission orders. The policemen carried out warrantless arrests and arbitrary detentions. Maslian stated further that the PNP destroyed many of the workers’ properties.

Kilusang Mayo Uno – Cordillera said that LEU is also going to charge the DOLE under Secretary of Labor Patricia Sto. Tomas for being anti-worker on the issuance of Assumption of Jurisdiction (AJ) over the labor dispute at Lepanto. Leonida Tundagui of KMU-Cordillera explained that because of the issuance of such AJs, struggling workers are always on the brink of uncertainty. “Sto. Tomas’ issuance of the AJ simply shows she is pro-company and always puts the workers’ interest aside,” added Tundagui.

The international peoples’ tribunal is being manned by prominent international lawyers who advocate international peoples’ legitimate struggles for their rights. # Aldwin Quitasol for NORDIS

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