Wave of Oplan Bantay Laya harassments hit workers: KMU lawyer accused of blowing up a cell site

KMU is recently accused of blowing up a cell site, cited as a rebel group in a highschool textbook, and almost intruded in its office by a gang of unidentified men.

“These are renewed attempts of the Arroro regime, under the package of Oplan Batay Laya (OBL2), to crush legal organizations who oppose her exploitative rule,” said Joselito Ustarez, KMU Executive Vice President.

OBL2 is a comprehensive ‘anti-insurgency’ program of the Arroyo administration that renders legal movements part of anti-government rebellion, and thus necessary for eradication.

KMU revealed the recent cases of harassments in a press conference today. It was joined by independent labor institutions Pro-Labor Legal Assistance Center (PLACE) and Center for Trade Union and Human Rights (CTUHR).

“These dangerous red taggings threaten the lives of our members, as well as their job security, as their managements will have more bases to terminate or mistreat them.

“These also try to discredit the legitimate fights of KMU for a meaningful wage hike and the establishment of unions, among others – demands that truly advance the interests of the working class,” Ustarez added.

KMU lawyer as NPA and arsonist

KMU Chief Legal Counsel Atty. Remigio Saladero Jr. was charged with arson as he was accused to be one of the New People’s army group responsible for blowing up a Globe cell site in Lemery, Batangas last Aug. 2.

Saladero learned only last week that his name and picture, together with 18 other leaders of legal progressive organizations in Southern Tagalog, was included in the Memo for prelim investigation of the Batangas City Prosecutor. Saladero is also former chair and current treasurer of Bayan Muna-Rizal.

The case was based on a supposed sworn statement of a certain Arvin Martinez Leviste, who also claims that he has been with Saladero in NPA activities for a year now.

“I have never known this impostor. Everyday I am busied by attending to various labor cases due to rampant repressions by managements, how can I have the time to go to the mountains?” Saladero disputed.

Saladero, a San Beda law graduate, was one of the top 20 when he took the bar in 1984; he also became a law professor at the Lyceum and the Dominican College. He now also manages the PLACE law office.

“We are confident that the arson case will be discredited, and are now studying to file a counter-charge of perjury against Leviste,” Saladero said.

(continuation of the exposés on the next few days)