PALEA calls for PAL’s testimony on platinum card in impeachment rally

In a rally before the start of today’s impeachment trial, the Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA) once more aired its call for the Senator-judges to allow the testimony of Philippine Airlines (PAL) management on the privileges given to Chief Justice Renato Corona and his wife. “We hope that in the caucus today, the Senators will reconsider Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile’s decision to deny the testimony of PAL VP for Sales Enrique Javier on the platinum card given to CJ Corona,” declared Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and vice chair of Partido ng Manggagawa (PM).

More than a hundred PALEA members together with a group from PM picketed the Senate grounds this noon. The protesters distributed makeshift platinum cards to passers-by in allusion to the privilege extended by PAL to CJ Corona.

Before the protest at the impeachment trial, PALEA and PM held a motorcade that passed by the different PAL offices such Nichols, Data Center Building, PNB Building and PAL Learning Center (Faura). The motorcade commemorated the 5th month of PALEA’s protest at Terminal 2 and the implementation of PAL’s outsourcing plan.

“Five months into PALEA’s protest against outsourcing and contractualization, thousands of our members remain steadfast in the struggle. If reports are indeed true that the flag carrier will be acquired by a new owner, then we call on them to make PAL fly high again by resolving the labor dispute and reinstating the locked out workers back to their regular jobs,” Rivera insisted.

PM meanwhile countered President Benigno Aquino’s pronouncement at the EDSA celebration yesterday that the judiciary needs to be reformed in pursuit of good governance. “Indeed people need to participate in the fight to reform government but change cannot be achieved by simply impeaching the Chief Justice and prosecuting former President Gloria Arroyo. As shown by the experience of PALEA and FASAP, the corruption and greed of the 1% affects not just the high officials of the judiciary but also of the executive and even the legislature. To give justice to PALEA and workers, we need reforms beyond Gloria and Corona,” explained Renato Magtubo, PM chair.

PALEA and PM insisted that they will not be a party to the conflict between “factions of the 1%.” Magtubo added that “We did not participate in the EDSA activities yesterday and will not join the Luneta mobilization tomorrow which are just shows of force by the opposing camps of the elite. The 99% should allow themselves to be used as cannon fodder by any of the factions of the 1%. We call on the people, especially the workers, to organize into an independent movement that will struggle for a new EDSA based on radical social change. Poverty, unemployment and underdevelopment will not be solved, albeit only worsen, with ousting presidents and impeaching chief justices. Reform will be won by changing the system.”