Workers, poor told: prepare for Corona conviction

One day before the Senate votes on the impeachment case against Chief Justice Renato Corona, labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno called on the Filipino workers and people to prepare for the chief magistrate’s conviction, which it said is most likely given the Aquino government’s use of all its powers to achieve this end.

KMU cited the railroading of the impeachment complaint’s approval by Congress and the release by the Anti-Money Laundering Council of Corona’s alleged financial records despite the lack of a court order.

“The Aquino government has used all its powers to convict Corona and it seems that it will achieve this objective tomorrow. We are calling on the Filipino workers and people to prepare to push for our basic demands to the Aquino government,” said Elmer “Bong” Labog, KMU chairperson.

“Let us join protest actions to assert that there should be no more delay in going after Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for her grave crimes against the workers and people. Transparency among government officials must be demanded and the disclosure of bank accounts and financial records should be undertaken by all public officials, especially by Pres. Aquino,” he said.

“At the same time, let us guard against the highly probable reversal of the Supreme Court’s decision distributing Hacienda Luisita’s lands to farmers. Let us push for the nationwide junking of the Stock Distribution Option scheme and the distribution of all hacienda lands to farmers, who will be empowered by the move,” he added.

The labor center also called on workers and the poor to join protests to bring to the fore issues that were sidetracked by the impeachment trial.

It cited the demand for a significant wage hike and junking of contractual employment, a moratorium on the demolition of poor communities, the junking of the VAT on oil products and of the Oil Deregulation Law, genuine land reform, an end to human-rights violations, and the removal of US military presence in the country.

“While the Supreme Court is a reactionary institution, Corona’s conviction will most likely pave the way for the Aquino government’s full control of the Supreme Court. That means the government will have all the powers it wants to implement its anti-worker and anti-people policies,” Labog said.

“We are calling on workers and the poor to intensify our protests against the government’s anti-worker and anti-people policies. We have no choice but to struggle harder for our rights and interests and for immediate relief from intensifying hunger and poverty in the country,” he added.