Wednesday, April 09, 2008 Palace man behind PCSBI's maneuvers By Edmund B. Sestoso
A BROTHER-in-law of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is suspected to be the person maneuvering the moves of Prudential Customs Brokerage Services Incorporated (PCSBI) that contributed to its labor problem with members of Associated Labor Union (ALU) under the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP).
Other bidders of the cargo handling services questioned the backing given by Representative Iggy Arroyo, brother of President Arroyo, to Prudential Customs and Brokerage Services Inc., owned by the family of Grace Ibuna.
They believe that PCBSI was able to take over the port as a favored cargo handling company because it had the support of Iggy Arroyo.
Representative Arroyo is reportedly a "special friend" of Grace Ibuna, one of PCBSI's top executives.
The Dumaguete port's arrastre operations were taken over by the local PPA after the end of the contract of services of the Cipres Stevedoring and Arrastre Services Incorporated (CISAI). The PPA absorbed the union members.
PCBSI entered the picture, buoyed by alleged support from the President's brother-in-law.
PCSBI started out as a customs brokerage company before branching out to arrastre services.
Curiously, it was able to handle cargo handling services contract in small ports in the Visayas and Mindanao only during the administration of President Arroyo.
Since 2001, it acquired the arrastre services contracts of Palawan-Puerto Princesa, Brooke's Point and Coron, Dapitan Port in Dipolog, Zamboanga del Norte, port of San Jose, Mindoro, and Dumaguete City.
Muelle Loney wharf will be PCBI's seventh port if it successfully gets the contract.
PCBSI's acquisition of the arrastre services contract in the six ports were also met iwth strikes.
PCSBI's lawyer Joel Obar said company had been in the service for several long years.
He said the company has high regards for Iggy and it is unfortunate that he is being dragged into the issue.
"We have high respect for the Arroyos, especially Representative Iggy, but we felt sad that his name was dragged into the issue although this is just a ploy on the part of those who want to create trouble and those who want to see PCSBI's operations crippled," he added.
Meanwhile, the Diocese of Dumaguete has now come into the picture and called on the parties to remain calm and come up with a peaceful resolution to the problem.
The diocese has sent Reverend Father Burton Villarmente to be a part of the Crisis Management Committee created by the City Government. Its other members include all stakeholders of the Dumaguete port, including the PPA, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC), and all other local agencies including businessmen under the Negros Oriental Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Bishop John F. Du emphasized that instead of accusing each other, stakeholders should work for a solution that would benefit the majority.
The bishop cautioned authorities against using force in dispersing the strikers who are right now inside the Dumaguete port premises.
"We will not meddle with civil affairs, however, our presence in any forum would be just to provide spiritual guidance to everyone," he said.
Bishop Du also said the church will offer prayers and masses for a speedy resolution of the port issues that have already greatly affected the public.
The public hopes that the church's involvement will help solve the problem in a peaceful manner.
