This is the statement of condemnation of more than 350 Hanjin Garments workers in another round of dispersal yesterday, January 26, on their third day of picket protest in front of the company in Barangay Banay-Banay, Cabuyao, Laguna.

Coming from within the company gates, more than 150 combined elements of Philippine National Police (PNP) Cabuyao, PNP Regional Mobile Group, CALABARZON Police, and Laguna Industrial Park Police Action Group (LIPPAG) dispersed and drove the workers away from Gatchalian Industrial Subdivision at 7PM.

PNP Maj. delos Santos at Col. Marvin Saro (not Maj. Marvin Saro as earlier reported) led the dispersal.

“The workers and the people witnessed how the police freely accessed and assembled within Hanjin gates. It was executed in the open and unembarrassingly intentional. A firetruck was even sent earlier by the municipal government of Cabuyao, while civilian intelligence operatives are everywhere,” according to Christopher Capistrano, vice-president of independent union Aniban ng Manggagawang Inaapi sa Hanjin Garments (AMIHAN).

Workers reported that uniformed and plainclothes men entered and assembled within the company premises from 12 midnight until afternoon. A firetruck sped in at 5:30PM.

”This shows an outright and conspiratorial collusion between Hanjin management, PNP, and Cabuyao municipal government to harass and suppress the legitimate demands of Hanjin workers,” declared Capistrano.

After dispersing the workers out of the industrial subdivision, police barricaded its gates. The workers, however, regrouped and held a program here until 9PM.

No one was reportedly hurt in the dispersal.

After their program, the workers found refuge and spent the night in a nearby chapel in Barangay Banay-Banay.

Closely guarded negotiation

Earlier, before the dispersal, Maj. delos Santos, upon the orders of Hanjin management, called on the workers for a negotiation to be held within the company premises at 6PM.

According to Capistrano, “Major delos Santos forced us to enter into the negotiation. Policemen accosted us in to the company premises, brought us to the basketball court, and made us squat on the floor.”

“Hanjin owner Mrs. Mak Rae Min spoke and point accusing fingers on us. She accused us of our unrelenting position despite her so-called good gestures towards us. She also said that all terminated workers will be reinstated on Monday, January 28. But she mentioned that she cannot give our demands, especially the implementation of minimum wage.”

”As Mrs. Mak Rae Min delivers her sermon, the workers were surrounded by 7 policemen armed with high-powered rifles.”

While the negotiation was taking place, outside the company gates, the police destroyed the workers’ protest camp.

”We did not agree with the one-sided position of the management on our demands. It was a useless negotiation. The management showed no tinge of sincerity in talking to us while the workers are closely guarded and threatened,” said Capistrano.

Immediately after the negotiation, the police dispersed and drove the workers away from Gatchalian Industrial Subdivision.

Law enforcers violating the laws

Meanwhile, Pagkakaisa ng Manggagawa sa Timog Katagalugan (PAMANTIK-KMU) chants in unison with the Hanjin Garments workers in the statement of condemnation.

”Isn’t it that the government, including the police, is the primary enforcer of the law? They should be the role model in respecting and implementing the law. However, in their outright connivance with the Hanjin management and attack against the workers, it is evidently clear that they are the ones violating the law,” according to Romeo Legaspi, PAMANTIK-KMU chairman.

Legaspi also made mention of Article 2, Section 18 of the Philippine Constitution which states, “The state affirms labor as a primary social economic force. It shall protect the rights of workers and promote their welfare”.

“It is the government itself exposing its rottenness to the workers and the people. Hanjin workers cannot rely on anything else in their struggle but their own strength and the solidarity of the people. We expect nothing, not even a speck of concern, in this government which does not represent and serve the interest of its people,” concluded Legaspi.