More than 50 war-clad elements of Cabuyao Philippine National Police (PNP) and Laguna Industrial Park Police Assistance Group (LIPPAG) refused entry of food support to striking workers of Hanjin Garments Incorporated since last night, January 24.

Cabuyao PNP Chief Col. Moises Pagaduan and LIPPAG Maj. delos Santos ordered their respective police units to dispel workers and supporters carrying food from reaching the barricades at the company gates and Gatchalian industrial subdivision entrance.

“Ang pagbabawal sa aming kumain ay tahasang paglabag sa aming karapatang pantao! (To deprive us of food is an outright violation of our human rights!),” exclaimed Romina Ibarrola, spokesperson of Hanjin workers.

“Nang tanungin namin sila kung bakit ipinagbabawal nila ang pagpasok ng pagkain, walang pagpapalawig na sinagot kami ni Pagaduan at delos Santos na, ‘Utos ng manager’ (When we asked them (police) why they are refusing food entry, Pagaduan and delos Santos simply shrugged, ‘It’s an order from the manager’),” recalled Gomer Macale, union president of Aniban ng Manggagawang Inaapi sa Hanjin Garments (AMIHAN).

Macale thanked the residents and workers who by all means continuously support their cause.

“Walang namamatay sa gutom”

At 6AM today, union officers tried to negotiate with Cabuyao Mayor Isidro “Jun” Hemedes to mediate and order the lifting of food blockade on the strikers.

“Sa halip na pakinggan ang aming hinaing, sinabihan niya kaming ‘Hindi magugutom ang mga nasa loob. Walang namamatay sa gutom’. Hindi namin inaasahan ang ganitong pangungusap mula sa isang upisyal ng gubyerno (Instead of heeding our plight, he told us ‘Those inside [the industrial subdivision] will not go hungry. No one dies of hunger’. Coming from a government official, such a statement is uncalled for.),” said Macale.

“However, we are not closing our doors with the mayor and all other legal means to settle this issue. We hope the mayor is not waiting for someone to die in serious cases such as ours,” added Macale.

The union officers and management of Hanjin are expected to hold a dialogue at the National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB-Region IVA) at 1PM today.

Call for support

Pagkakaisa ng Manggagawa sa Timog Katagalugan (PAMANTIK-KMU), the militant labor center in the region, called for more support from other workers and community members.

PAMANTIK chairman Romeo Legaspi urged, “The demands of Hanjin workers are just and legitimate. It’s a must that the Hanjin workers who are still blinded by the management and pursuing production operations in the company, and the wider public need to know the issue so as to gather and mobilize continuous support.”

“We are positive with all the possible and legal avenues we can get and maximize,” concluded Legaspi.

The Korean-owned Hanjin Garments Incorporated employs more than 1,000 contractual workers, 70% of which are women. The workers barricaded the gates of the company and the industrial subdivision at dawn on January 24, demanding the reinstatement of more than 200 illegally terminated workers, regularization, and union recognition.