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Sultan: Relationship-building more than infrastructure rehab in Marawi

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By April Burcer

“We want a rehabilitation that is anchored on cultural sensitivity and respect to religion, which we still don’t see until now,” Marawi City Sultan Abdul Hamidullah Atar during an Eid’l Fit’r Solidarity Affair Wednesday evening at the University of the Philippines in Diliman said.

Atar said that what they want is simple – to just be allowed to go back to Marawi while it is undergoing rehabilitation instead of having to wait three to four years as proposed by the government.

The solidarity affair, organized by Sandugo Movement of Moro and Indigenous Peoples for Self-Determination and the Moro-Christian People’s Alliance (MCPA) in time for the end of the month-long Ramadan was held in support of the “Balik Marawi Now!” campaign that aims to help displaced Marawi residents to return to their homes.

The Sultan also expressed his concern over the proposed debris management that plans to dump millions of tons of debris into Lake Lanao for reclamation purposes.

“This is not only an issue of development but also an issue of the environment. The rehabilitation of Marawi should not only serve this generation but the next and the next. If the debris destroys Lake Lanao, what can we give to the future generation?” he asked.

Various organizations expressed their support, including Australian missionary Sr Patricia Fox who said that this problem is not isolated to the Philippines, but is also happening around the world “because of a system that does not recognize the rights of the people.”

Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate promised that “the Makabayan bloc will file a resolution to investigate the increasing human rights violation in Marawi and the complaints surrounding the rehabilitation of the city, as we all know that this rehabilitation is not culturally insensitive.”

Arlene Brosas of the Gabriela Women’s Party, on the other hand,  encouraged people in Luzon and Visayas to speak out and stand up for the Mindanaoans who suffer militarization.

Other groups present during the solidarity event included the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP), the Let’s Organize for Democracy and Integrity, Unyon ng mga Manggagawa sa Agrikultura, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, Anakpawis, Gabriela, Alliance of Concerned Teachers, Musikang Bayan, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, the Confederation for Unity Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees, Kadamay, among others. #

Peace talks to possibly resume in September

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The peace talks between the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) may resume in September.

The NDFP said they have agreed to continue the peace negotiations with the Rodrigo Duterte government after listening to the GRP Panel’s explanation for the postponement of the resumption of the formal talks.

The group said a GRP team led by panel member Hernani Braganza travelled to Utrect, The Netherlands on June 18 to 20 to personally explain GRP’s cancellation of the June 28 resumption of formal negotiations.

In a separate statement, Braganza said they told the NDFP that Duterte wished for a three-month review of the documents forged during the backchannel talks.

No further explanation was given by the parties.

The NDFP and the GRP said the Royal Norwegian Government (RNG) attended the meetings as Third Party Facilitator (TPF).

The NDFP said the meeting did not immediately start because they had to clarify the role of the RNG following presidential spokesperson Harry Roque’s statement a TPF to the talks may no longer be necessary.

“The role of the TPF is of key importance while there is need to hold formal peace negotiations in a foreign neutral venue in compliance with the pertinent provision in the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees,” the NDFP said.

The group added that the parties’ agreements in the backchannel talks are binding.

“The agreements reached in the four rounds of informal talks in March, April, May and June 2018, remain valid and have the effect of continuing the peace negotiations under the direction of the principals and reaffirmation of previous agreements,” the NDFP said.

The GRP for its part said the agreements still include the planned visit of NDFP chief political consultant Jose Maria Sison to the Philippines.

“We extended the government panel’s appreciation to the NDF’s open-mindedness in coming to terms with President Duterte’s decision,” Braganza said. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)

‘I do not have to be chief justice to defend our laws and institutions’ –Sereno

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Hours after her colleagues denied with finality her motion for reconsideration, ousted Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno vowed to continue the fight against the ‘vicious’ Rodrigo Duterte administration even as a private citizen.

With hundreds of supporters at the University of the Philippines Bahay ng Alumni Tuesday, June 19, Sereno recounted the attacks against her during the hearings at the House of Representatives after Duterte himself led the call for her ouster as chief magistrate.

Duterte was later joined by Sereno’s colleagues at the High Court who refused to inhibit themselves during deliberations on her case and voted eight against six for her ouster via a quo warranto petition filed by Solicitor General Jose Calida.

“In the words of my colleagues, the Supreme Court has committed seppuku without honor,” she said.

Hours earlier, the Supreme Court voted via another eight to six majority to deny with finality Sereno’s motion for reconsideration on the decision ousting her as chief magistrate.

The Court upheld its earlier decision to grant the quo warranto petition against Sereno on the basis of her so-called failure to file at least nine statements of assets and liabilities as a professor of the UP College of Law.

Opponents of the decision, however, argued that a chief justice may only be ousted via the Constitutionally-mandated impeachment proceedings.

A mirror and a warning

Sereno said that her story is not unique, but instead a mirror of what is happening to the country as a whole.

“It is also a warning and a call to action for each of us and all of us together as a nation,” Sereno said, adding that her story echoes the experiences of Filipinos who have had the odds stacked against them because of poverty, injustice or the misfortune of being called enemies by those in power.

Sereno also noted that the attack on her and her office was preceded by attacks against other departments such as the Energy Regulatory Commission, the Commission on Elections, and the Commission on Higher Education.

She also criticized the blatant disregard of the administration for the Constitution and the rule of law, citing the concern of the international community for the alarming lawlessness in the country.

“The responsibility for the week ending of the rule of law is his,” Sereno added, pointing at Duterte himself.

Demanding answers

“I stand before you now stripped of my authority and position by an unjust decision. But I do not have to be Chief Justice to defend our laws and institutions,” Sereno said.

Sereno said that it is time to demand answers to the nagging questions that every Filipino has been thinking of.

She inquired about the economic future of the country with the poverty becoming pervasive due to price inflation and how much financial difficulties the people have to bear when more tax reform measures are passed by Congress.

The ousted chief justice also challenged Duterte on his programs including his shift to federalism, his relationship with the government of China, his position on the West Philippine Sea, the killing of more than 27,0000 extrajudicial killing victims, disappearance of thousands more, the situation of the people in Marawi, and the freedom of speech and of the press.

Sereno said that the day of her ouster was a good opportunity to open new chapter in the life of the Filipinos, coming as it did on the birth anniversary of national hero Dr. Jose Rizal. #

NUJP slams Dureza for ‘irresponsbile journalism’ remark

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The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) slammed presidential peace adviser Jesus Dureza for his “irresponsible journalism” accusation against several news outfits, adding the official owes journalists an apology.

In a statement Tuesday, June 19, the NUJP said Dureza is too quick to hurl accusations of irresponsible journalism against news outfits that reported that Norway would no longer be the third-party facilitator for peace talks between the government and communist rebels.

In a Facebook post, Dureza stated Monday the media report saying Norway is being removed or is no longer “facilitator” in the peace negotiations between the philippine government and the communist rebels is a total fabrication.

“It is an example of irresponsible journalism,” Dureza added.

The NUJP, however, did not take Dureza’s statement sitting down, saying he should have checked presidential spokesperson Harry Roque’s claim against the record

“[Dureza], at the very least, should be aware that the source of the story, presidential spokesman Harry Roque, has built a reputation for prevarication within an administration that has time and again proven itself to be the prime purveyor of falsehood and, in fact, has welcomed experts of this dark craft into the bureaucracy.”

NUJP pointed out that during the question and answer portion of Roque’s press briefing at Malacañan Monday morning, CNN Philippines’ Ina Andolong asked whether President Rodrigo Duterte wanted the talks held in the country “and not be facilitated by Norway” and what the formal process for transferring the venue might be.

NUJP said Roque did not give an unequivocal reply to these questions, prompting Andolong to ask further: “Who will be facilitating the talks here then?”

“Wala na po siguro, nandito na naman tayo sa Pilipinas,” Roque replied, adding President Rordrigo Duterte could not understand why the peace negotiations have to be held abroad. (Perhaps there would no longer be one, as we are here in the Philippines already.)

That “Perhaps there would no longer be one” is what many news outfits reported, NUJP said.

The NUJP said that while Dureza had reason enough to worry about the reports, the fault lay not with media but with the government’s all too often muddled communications, particularly Roque who eventually tried to weasel his way out of a bad situation by claiming, in a subsequent statement, that he had only talked about Duterte’s wish for the talks to be held in the country.

In a subsequent statement, Roque said that he hopes the record is set straight that what he said was that any peace negotiation that would be entered into by the Philippine government and the NDFP should be held inside the country, referring to the venue of the talks.

But the NUJP said that records are clear that Roque is, “at best, cherry picking through his words, at worst, brazenly twisting the truth.”

“Which seems par for the course as far as this administration goes,” NUJP added.

NUJP said Dureza, himself a former reporter, owes the journalists he wrongly accused an apology.

“And while, truth to tell, we do not expect one, we would love to be surprised,” the group added. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)

Pray for the evil spirit in Malacañan – Bishop

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By April Burcer

A Roman Catholic bishop urged members of the Church to let their voices be heard against the killings of priests as well as against all other extra-judicial killings in the country.

“Stand up. Speak out. That’s where we are lacking right now,” Pabillo said during his homily at a special Mass celebrated at the Quiapo Basilica Monday evening.

“The people are asking, ‘Why is the Church silent?’ The public does not expect church people to be armed with guns. They expect us to speak out –bishops, priests, nuns and lay groups,” he added.

Pabillo said with the faithfuls’ voices speaking together, they don’t have to shout loudly but still be heard.

“The whole country will hear that killing is evil, that telling lies is bad, that cursing is unacceptable, that quo warranto is illegal, that we don’t want Cha-Cha, and that we should not give the Philippines to China,” the prelate said.

Earlier this month, President Rodrigo Duterte spoke against the Church’s God and the hypocrisy of its leaders and priests.

“So huwag kang maniwala ‘yang Katoliko. Hindi ako naniniwala ng Katoliko. ‘Yang Adam and Eve na ‘yan. Tingnan mo. Pagka hindi… Kung ‘yan ang Diyos ng Katoliko, torpe ‘yan. Mag hanap ka ng Diyos na tama,” Duterte said. (So don’t believe the Catholics. I don’t believe in the Catholics. That Adam and Eve story, you see…If that’s the God of the Catholics, that is stupid. Better that you find a right One)
Duterte was a baptized Roman Catholic.
In his homily, Pabillo urged the public to pray and fast more because “the evil spirit in Malacañan can only be driven away by prayers of faith.”

The Mass was followed by a candle-lighting ceremony at the historic Plaza Miranda led by various church and human rights groups for the three Roman Catholic priests killed under the Duterte government.

Father Richmond Nilo of Nueva Ecija, retired priest Father Tito Paez and Father Mark Ventura of Cagayan have been killed in the past six months.

“There is a culture of killing that is happening now in our country. They are killing our respect for people, they are killing our respect women, and they are killing our respect for the law. The very people who should be upholding the law are the very ones who are breaking them,” activist nun Sr Mary John Mananzan, OSB said.

The event was also participated in by Australian missionary Sister Patricia Fox and faith-based groups such as the National Council of Churches in the Philippines, Iglesia Filipina Independiente, United Church of Christ in the Philippines, Nicodemus, Workers’ Resistance Against Tyranny and for Human Rights, and Kalipunan ng Kristiyanong Kabataan.

The event ended with the announcement of the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) reversal of the Bureau of Immigration’s order deporting Fox. #

Sison angry at planned dismissal of talks Third Party Facilitator

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An angry Jose Maria Sison called President Rodrigo Duterte a “political swindler” who is bent on sabotaging the peace negotiation between the government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP).

Reacting to presidential spokesperson Harry Roque’s announcement Monday Duterte no longer wants a third party facilitator in the peace talks between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the NDFP, Sison said the president is “willfuly and maliciously killing the peace negotiations by breaking the standing GRP-NDFP agreement on foreign neutral venue and dismissing the third party facilitator.”

“He is inflaming the civil war in the Philippines to justify his fascist dictatorship. He really does not want to have the peace negotiations,” Sison said of Duterte.

In a press conference in Malacañan, Roque said Duterte wants wants the peace talks to be held in the Philippines and not in Norway whose government has served as third party facilitator to the talks for close to two decades already.

The Royal Norwegian Government (RNG) is the Third Party Facilitator of the GRP-NDFP peace process since 2001, spending millions of Euros for the hosting and travel requirements of negotiators and staff of both parties through the years.

Roque said there is no need to hold the talks abroad, adding the government has a peace panel who has “the authority to fix the logistics.”

Asked who would facilitate the peace talks in the Philippines, Roque said, “Perhaps there would no longer be one.”

Roque added that the government would comply with whatever legal process must be undertaken to ensure that the peace negotiations will be held in the Philippines.

According to the  GRP-NDFP Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG) of 1995, however, the parties agreed that the negotiations must be held in a neutral venue, which at the time was in Brussels, Belgium.

In their Oslo Joint Statement of February 14, 2004, the GRP and the NDFP issued an annex entitled “The Role of the Third Party Facilitator,” which was already The Royal Norwegian Government at the time.

Roque said that Duterte could not understand why the talks have to be held in Norway,

Sison however said the NDFP will never submit itself to surveillance, control and duress by Duterte’s “bloody regime and his military and police butchers and death squads,” adding there is a reason why both parties signed the JASIG mandating that talks should be held in a foreign neutral venue.

NDFP earlier said its negotiators and staff were arrested, tortured and killed when the first GRP-NDFP peace talks held in the Philippines collapsed in 1987, prompting the NDFP to insist on a foreign neutral venue when the negotiations resumed under GRP President Fidel Ramos in 1992.

“[Duterte] is hell-bent on scapegoating the CPP and NPA to justify his methods of fake surrenders and mass murders and enable him to impose on the people martial law nationwide and fascist dictatorship,” Sison said. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)

Group reports new attacks against Lumad communities, schools

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by April Burcer

An indigenous peoples’ organization again called on the Rodrigo Duterte government to stop harassments of Lumads following reports of new attacks on communities in the CARAGA, Socksargen and Southern Mindanao region by the military.

Save our Schools (SOS) spokesperson in Mindanao Rius Valle said 122 Mamanwa Lumad families forcibly evacuated last June 12 after soldiers encamped in their communities and refused entry of a relief and humanitarian service by church organizations.

Three days later, the Salugpongan Community Learning Center of Compostela Valley reported that three Lumad families were summoned to the military camp in Barangay San Miguel, New Bataan and were forced to surrender as members of the New People’s Army.

“There’s at least 80 people who have allegedly surrendered to the military. Those who voluntarily surrendered were threatened that if they don’t sign or surrender on their own, they will be jailed, which is possible because of Martial Law when a warrant of arrest does not necessarily have to be issued. Students are also prevented from going to school,” Valle said in an interview.

Military also encamped near the CLANS Lumad Community School in Sultan Kudarat and were asking for the whereabouts of volunteer teachers, another SOS alert said.

“SOCCSKSARGEN has the most number of closed schools. What the military does is that they go to Lumad schools who are still operating and look for their teachers. It was a coincidence that the teachers were currently processing their Permit to Operate from the Department of Education and the military did not find any teacher present. So they bribed the children with 100 Pesos just know where the teachers are,” Valle narrated.

SOS, teachers and members of the network in General Santos are set to organize a Quick Response Team (QRT) to help threatened Lumad communities.

“We are constantly monitoring everything. We don’t have any updates yet regarding the recent attacks because of poor signal. We’re still waiting for text messages from the teachers, but in SOCCSKSARGEN, we’re coordinating a QRT,” Valle said.

A Lumad’s house occupied by AFP troopers. (SOS photo)

56 down, how many more to go?

According to the SOS, 56 Lumad schools all over Mindanao failed to start their classes this month because of the increasing attacks by the military.

The number is still growing as they are still waiting for reports from schools in Mindanao to confirm if they are still operating or not, Valle said.

“We are still consolidating the numbers because some of the communities can’t be reached. That’s not the final tally because there are still several communities who are yet to send in their reports, including Bukidnon, North Cotabato and Surigao,” he added.

Valle said that for the attacks to end, Duterte must first lift martial law to end in Mindanao.

Valle added that the Lumads are asking the public to support the Lumads’ right to education.

“Let us create activities that would spread awareness about the heightened military attacks on schools in Mindanao,” he added.#

Book on the history of the socialist movement in the Philippines launches

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By April Burcer

A book on the history of the socialist movement originally written as a graduate thesis by then Philippine Army Captain Dante Simbulan was launched Saturday, June 16, at the University of the Philippines (UP).

“Excellent work, captivating narrative,” was how Jose Ma. Sison, founding chair of the re-established Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), described the book written by Dr. Dante Simbulan “When The Rains Come, Will Not The Grass Grow Again? (The Socialist Movement in the Philippines: 1920-1960).”

“It is necessary to read this book, if only to know and understand the highly significant history of the Socialist Party of the Philippines (SPP), as the legal alternative to the outlawed Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), in the 1930s in Central Luzon, as well as the history of the merger party of the SPP and CPP in 1938 that became the leading party of the Hukbong Bayan Laban sa Hapon from 1942 onwards and subsequently the Hukbong Mapagpalayang Bayan from 1948 onwards,” Sison said in his message sent from the The Netherlands.

Simbulan, a Class of 1952 honors graduate of the Philippine Military Academy, was assigned to undergo graduate studies at the UP in the 1960s where he chose to study his former enemies, the Hukbong Bayan Laban sa Hapon (Hukbalahap) and the Hukbong Mapagpalaya ng Bayan (HMB or Huk), which became the book after nearly half a century.

Simbulan was then fresh off his first field assignment as a Philippine Army Lieutenant assigned in Bulacan and Pampanga under the command of then Captain Rafael Ileto who became Army General and Defense Secretary under former President Corazon Aquino.

The book cover.

“The book is about the origins and roots of the socialist movement in our country, where the dispossessed poor and oppressed organize themselves into a Marxist political party for workers and peasants,” Prof. Roland Simbulan, the author’s son, said.

“His conclusion in the study predicted that even after the military success of the AFP’s counter-insurgency campaign, as long as the socio-economic roots of the Huk rebellion are not seriously addressed, the social unrest will go on” the younger Simbulan said.

“True enough, there was a resurgence of armed rebellion, this time led by a new generation that reestablished the Marx- Leninist revolution, more sophisticated, resilient and national and scope,” he added.

“This will be a great help in spreading awareness among Filipino soldiers, especially the young officers, towards their love for the country, as well as true service to the Filipino people,” retired Philippine Marines General Januario Caringal in his message said.

Former UP President Dr. Francisco Nemenzo, making a rare public appearance, said that Simbulan’s thesis should have been published soon after it was written to see what reactions it would elicit.

“They probably expected a military officer then in active service to write a propaganda piece, but, instead, we have a scholarly work that is sympathetic to the enemy,” Nemenzo said.

The author was later assigned to teach at the PMA until his early retirement due to his growing disillusionment with the military under Ferdinand Marcos.

He was later jailed for three years from 1974, prompting him to seek asylum in the United States after his release.

Simbulan also authored two earlier books, “The Modern Principilia: The Historical Evolution of the Philippine Ruling Oligarchy” in 2005 and his memoirs “Whose Side Are We On? Memoirs of a PMAer” in 2016.

He is in the United States and could not travel home for the book launch due to health reasons, however, and was represented by his son, Roland, himself a distinguished academic and book author.

The book, co-published by Pantas Publishing, is available at the Popular Bookstore in Tomas Morato, Quezon City. #

NDFP releases backchannel documents

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The National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) Negotiating Panel has given media outfits copies of the documents forged between them and representatives of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) negotiating panel after four rounds of backchannel talks in May and June.

NDFP chief negotiator Fidel Agcaoili sent Kodao copies of the following:

  1. The Stand Down Agreement,
  2. Guidelines and Procedures towards an Interim Peace Agreement and the Resumption of Talks and its attached timetable,
  3. The Initialed Interim Peace Agreement, and
  4. The NDFP Proposed Draft of the Amnesty Proclamation which was given to the GRP and the Third Party Facilitator.

Agcaoili said they are giving copies of the documents “[i]n the interest of truth and transparency in view of the GRP’s unilateral decision to postpone the resumption of the talks in Oslo on June 28 and the apparent wish to have Prof. (Jose Maria) Sison visit the country even before the IPA(Interim Peace Agreement) and its component agreements and parts, the completion of the CASER (Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms) and the full implementation of the Amnesty Proclamation and release of all PPs (political prisoners).”

NDFP’s move came after the GRP unilaterally aborted the scheduled resumption of formal talks between the parties on June 28 in Oslo, Norway.

Earlier, NDFP chief political consultant Sison dared both parties to divulge the documents to both the media and the public after GRP peace adviser Jesus Dureza said the reason for the postponement was GRP President Rodrigo Duterte’s desire to consult the general public.

The NDFP and several peace advocates, however, dismissed the GRP’s statement, saying consultations may be conducted while negotiations are being held.

Kapayapaan Campaign for a Just and Lasting Peace blamed so-called militarists in government for the cancellation of the formal talks.

“That the suspension comes after a command conference with the Armed Forces of the Philippines shows the power that warmongers wield over the civilian branch of this government,” Kapayapaan said.

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) added that  Duterte’s nth time cancellation of the scheduled resumption of formal peace negotiations is totally unacceptable.

“He has also canceled the scheduled stand down that was set to take effect one week before the formal talks,” CPP said.

The following are the documents signed between the NDFP and the GRP Agcaoili said were witnessed by the Third Party Facilitator, the Royal Norwegian Government:

 

The Stand Down Agreement

 

NDFP-GRP Stand Down Agrement page 1.

NDFP-GRP Stand Down Agrement page 2.

 

Guidelines and Procedures towards an Interim Peace Agreement and the Resumption of Talks and its attached timetable

Guidelines and Procedures towards an Interim Peace Agreement and the Resumption of Talks page 1.

Guidelines and Procedures towards an Interim Peace Agreement and the Resumption of Talks page 2.

Guidelines and Procedures towards an Interim Peace Agreement and the Resumption of Talks page 3.

Timetable of the Guidelines and Procedures towards an Interim Peace Agreement and the Resumption of Talks.

 

The Initialed Interim Peace Agreement

The Interim Peace Agreement page 1.

The Interim Peace Agreement page 2.

The Interim Peace Agreement page 3.

The Interim Peace Agreement page 10.

Note that only NDFP chief negotiator Fidel Agcaoili and GRP panel member Hernani Braganza initialed the document. GRP’s Atty. Efren Moncupa and NDFP legal consultant Atty. Edre Olalia initialed the document as witnesses.

 

NDFP Proposed Draft of the Amnesty Proclamation  given to the GRP and the Third Party Facilitator

NDFP Proposed Draft of the Amnesty Proclamation given to the GRP and the Third Party Facilitator page 1.

NDFP Proposed Draft of the Amnesty Proclamation given to the GRP and the Third Party Facilitator page 2.

NDFP Proposed Draft of the Amnesty Proclamation given to the GRP and the Third Party Facilitator page 3.

 

(Raymund B. Villanueva)

 

 

 

 

 

CPP, Makabayan condemn violent dispersal of Nutriasia workers

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By April Burcer

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the Makabayan bloc at the House of Representatives separately condemned the brutal dispersal of NutriAsia workers that led to the arrest of 20 people as well as the wounding of several strikers Thursday.

In separate statements, both organizations criticized the unnecessary use of force in dispersing the workers who have been holding a strike for 13 days to fight for regularization and better working conditions.

CPP said that “NutriAsia workers are demanding the regularization of more than a thousand contractual workers and the reinstatement of union leaders dismissed by the company.”

Out of the 1400 workers in NutriaAsia, only 100 of them are regular employees and the rest are employed by six subcontracting agencies, Jessie Gerola, chairperson of the union Nagkakaisang Manggagawa ng NutriAsia said in an earlier interview.

The Makabayan bloc, composed of Carlos Isagani Zarate of Bayan Muna, Antonio Tinio and France Castro of ACT Teachers, Emmi de Jesus and Arlene Brosas of Gabriela Women’s Party, Ariel Casilao of Anakpawis and Sarah Elago of Kabataan party-list, on the other hand, called for an investigation on the contractualization policy and the working environment in NutriAsia.

“The workers are only asking to become regular employees of Nutriasia after working in the factory for as long as 15 years, but the company’s and court’s response is a violent dispersal,” the bloc said.

“The Party enjoins the broad masses of workers, students and other sectors to extend support and solidarity with the striking workers of Nutriasia, as well as workers in other companies, in their struggle to defend their right to regular jobs and for wage increases,” CPP wrote.

It started with a clap

News reports said that the strike was prompted by the dismissal of about 50 workers who participated in an earlier protest against the sacking of five union leaders along with their members.

The workers clapped as a way of condemning the termination of the union leaders without reasonable grounds, reports said.

Last February, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) ordered NutriAsia and its three contractors –Alternative Network Resources Unlimited Multipurpose Cooperative, Serbiz Multipurpose Cooperative and B-Mirk Enterprises Corporation – to regularize 914 of their workers, which never happened.

NutriAsia is a large condiment company owned by Joselito Campos Jr. and known for its products such as Datu Puti vinegars and soy sauces, Mang Tomas all-purpose sauce, UFC ketchups, Jufran ketchup, and Golden Fiesta cooking oil.

Other activist organizations have also called for a boycott of all NutriAsia products while the labor dispute remain unresolved. #