PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) Chief Oscar Albayalde on Monday, April 29, hit back at activist group Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) for calling the police force “anti-worker.”
“How can they say that we are anti-worker? Baka sila ang anti-worker. Alam ninyo kung bakit? Bakit po ba umaalis ‘yung investor sa atin. Papasukin ng KMU instigate ‘yung union (of employees ng isang kumpanya) and then magra-rally sila. ‘Yung investor mawawala ng gana uuwi sa kanila hindi ba? Sino mawawalan ng trabaho? Edi ‘yung mga kapwa Filipino natin," he said.
(Perhaps they are the ones who are anti-worker. Do you know why? The instigate labor unions to hold rallies. The investors pull out as a result. So who will lose their jobs when that happens? Our fellow Filipinos.)
“Then they are trying to blame the government kung bakit walang investment dito sa atin? How can you invest here. If you are investing billions of dollars here tapos gaganunin ka lang ng workers mo na instigate ng KMU? Let's wake up. Ito po ‘yung nangyayari. Binabaligtad lahat nila,” he added.
(Then they blame government for the lack of investments here. How can you invest here when tge KMU instigates workers to protest. Let's wake up. This is what's happening. They are just shifting the blame.)
In response, KMU chairperson Elmer Labog slammed Albayalde’s statement saying that it was an “old style” to discourage people to join such protest.
Labog, however, assured that they will police their ranks in order for their planned rally on May 1 to be peaceful and disciplined.
On Sunday, the KMU release a matrix of government officials, with President Rodrigo Duterte at the center, who allegedly contribute to the country’s worsening labor conditions.
Also included in the matrix were big companies in the country and US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Earlier, the military said the communist rebels and their allied groups including the KMU were trying to infiltrate labor organizations of different companies in order to encourage them to stage a strike which may later on lead to the closure of the company.
The military said it was part of a destabilization plot against the government.
A military official cited the Nutri-Asia case in Marilao, Bulacan, where union members padlocked the factory to protest the alleged poor treatment of the employees.
The KMU said at least 100,000 laborers from several parts of the country will join their picket on Labor day on Wednesday, May 1.
Albayalde said the PNP will deploy “enough” forces on the ground to ensure the public safety and peace and order on that day.
He, however, urged those who will join the protest rally to be vigilant and alert at all times.
Albayalde said the PNP forces were instructed to implement maximum tolerance.
"Tayo'y magbibigay ng babala sa publiko, ito nga ang gusto ng mga 'yan, na magkagulo, na may masaktan na hindi sila, na may masaktan na iba. They will take advantage of that situation. Ganon po 'yan," he said.
"Let this be a warning sa ating mga kababayan na nagjojoin ng rally. Hindi po lahat 'yan kung ano ang sinasabi ng cause-oriented, mayroon diyang grupo na magiinstigate, grupo na armado," Albayalde added. (SunStar Philippines)