AROUND 3,000 employees of Vallacar Transit Incorporated (VTI) gathered Tuesday, July 9, to show support to the matriarch of the Yanson siblings, Olivia Yanson, and her youngest son, Leo Rey, amid the family's squabbling over the management of the family-owned bus companies.
Leo Rey, who was ousted as president of the company and replaced by their eldest brother Roy Yanson in a special board meeting Sunday, July 7, issued an inter-office memorandum to all heads of office and employees in Barangay Mansilingan, Bacolod City where he declared a day off Tuesday, July 9.
"After the illegal takeover on July 7, information has reached the Office of the President that the Mansilingan head office employees have been coerced, intimidated, threatened, illegally detained in the work premises and other acts were committed violating their civil liberties and right of privacy which have caused stress, psychological and emotional pain among our employees," the memorandum stated.
The employees who showed support for Leo Rey, Ginnette Yanson-Dumancas and their mother, Olivia, were led by the Philippine Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Workers Union (Paciwu) headed by its national president Hernane Braza and Paciwu Vallacar Transit Chapter led by its president Franny Santarin.
One of the company's employees, however, showed to the media a message allegedly coming from the opposing camp, ordering them to return to work or they will be "dealt accordingly."
In his speech before the employees, Leo Rey pointed out the company would have not grown to a workforce of 18,000 employees and 4,000 bus units if not for his hard work.
He pointed out that he offered a solution to his siblings by "tossing a coin" for the company's Visayas and Mindanao operations, but they refused.
"This company of ours today. I am proud to say that we are now the biggest transport company in the country and in Asia," Leo Rey said.
He also said that he still hopes the issue between him and his siblings would be resolved and he has asked his supporters not to forget his mother.
Olivia, for her part, appealed to the employees to stay put on their respective jobs and not hold a strike.
She also told them that whatever wealth is left of her, she will have it put in a foundation that would give educational scholarship to the children of the employees.
She has been on the side of Leo Rey and Ginnette, she said.
The camp of Roy Yanson who was appointed as the new company president is firm on their stand that his appointment in a special board meeting is legal and is compliant and based on the five company's by-laws.
His lawyer, Sheila Sison, said loss of trust and confidence was the reason the majority of the members of the board ousted Leo Rey as president.
Among the members of the board who ousted Leo Rey are his elder siblings Roy, Emily, Ma. Lourdes Celina Yanson-Lopez and Ricardo Yanson Jr.