Workers’ group seeks SC relief

MANILA, Philippines - A group of workers yesterday asked the Supreme Court (SC) to allow them to participate in the May 2013 party-list elections.

Aspiring party-list group Partido ng Manggagawa Coalition (PM Coalition) filed a petition for a restraining order to stop the Commission on Elections (Comelec) order disqualifying the group from participating in the polls.

Party nominee Renato Magtubo said the group has complied with all the requirements for accreditation so there is no reason for it to be rejected by Comelec.

Magtubo insisted their group is marginalized and they have a good track record in serving the working class.

“Our coalition is composed of truly marginalized sector, the working class, and our nominees have indisputable track records as veteran leaders of big trade unions and labor organizations,” Magtubo said.

Aside from Magtubo, PM Coalition nominees include Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA) president Gerry Rivera, Public Services Labor Independent Confederation’s Annie Geron, Central Negros Electric Cooperative Union president Benjamin Tundag, and Philadelfa Burdeos, former president of the BPI union in Cagayan de Oro City.

PM Coalition chairman Ambrosio Palad explained the group had appealed to the Comelec after its application was denied by the poll body’s second division based on supposed misinterpretation of the group’s application as a coalition.

“It is not a coalition of political parties like the UNA or the LP-NP-NPC-Akbayan alliance as grossly misunderstood by the Second Division,” he said.

Palad said several unions and labor associations nationwide coalesced into PM Coalition to boost their chances of winning in the 2013 elections.

Groups under PM Coalition include duly registered groups such as PALEA, Partido ng Manggagawa, United Cavite Workers Association, Rosario Workers Association, Alyansa ng Maralitang Pilipino, Displaced Workers Association of Teresa, Rizal, Nasudnong Katawhang Kabus in Cebu, Labor Power Council-Negros (LPC-Negros), Samahan ng mga Manggagawa sa Antipolo (SAMA), Samahan ng Manggagawa ng Parañaque (SMP), United Panay-Iloilo Truck Drivers Association (UPTDA), United Skilled Plumbers Association Inc. (USPA), CENECO Union of Rationale Employees (CURE), Samahan ng Mamamayan-Zone One Tondo Organization (SM ZOTO), Valenzuela Informal Settlers Federation (VISFED), and Yellow Bus Line Employees Union (YBLEU).