Constellation
31st January 2000, 13:46
PAL UNION BRIBERY
Palea seeks Congress probe
By Armand Nocum
OFFICIALS of the ground crew union of Philippine Airlines are asking Congress to investigate reports that PAL owner Lucio Tan had bribed the union president into agreeing to the suspension of the collective bargaining agreement for 10 years.
Abel Capili, board member of the PAL Employees Association (Palea), said the 21-men board of directors of Palea may pass a resolution asking Congress to initiate a probe of the huge sum of money given by Tan to Palea president Alexander Barrientos and other union officials.
Capili said the plan to draft the resolution was hatched during a special board meeting called yesterday to deliberate on what actions to take against Barrientos.
Palea is seeking the ouster of Barrientos following reports that he had received P50 million from Tan to ensure that the union would vote in favor of suspending the CBA.
Capili said there was a need for both houses of Congress to step into the matter as PAL was a public utility. He added that government agencies were PAL stockholders.
''Some have proposed that Congress should investigate the alleged P50 million payoff because the issue involves a national figure, Lucio Tan, who is close to the President,'' Capili told reporters.
He said several ''brokers,'' who helped hammer out a PAL-Palea deal to end the strike last year and keep the flag carrier flying, should also be included in the investigation.
Raffy de la Cruz, a Palea board member, said that among those who helped push the controversial deal were labor leader Felimon ''Popoy'' Lagman, human rights advocate Renato Constantino, and Palea legal counsel Arno Sanidad.
Lagman was also reported to have received P20 million from Tan, an allegation which Lagman vehemently denied.
Last week, Barriento's wife, Lorna Miranda, claimed that her husband had received P50 million from Tan in July last year at the height of the Palea strike.
The accusation was contained in a concubinage case she filed with the Makati Regional Trial Court against Barrientos who allegedly abandoned his family to live with another woman.
In a board meeting last Wednesday, some Palea board members and shop stewards admitted to receiving P10,000 as ''loan'' from Barrientos.
The money was reportedly given out during the time that Barrientos and other board members were campaigning to have Tan's proposal to suspend the CBA approved in a referendum.
Barrientos denied receiving the P50 million. But he admitted that he lent P10,000 to some Palea officials. He said the money came from his own pocket, not Tan's.
Palea vice president Jerry Rivera also admitted to receiving P10,000 from Barrientos. But Rivera said the money was a loan which he used it to pay for his hospitalization.
Other board members belied reports that some of them were bribed into accepting Tan's proposal.
''Do you think they can buy us out for only P10,000? It defies logic,'' said a member of the Palea board.
Tan was not available for comment.
The INQUIRER also tried to reach Avelino Zapanta and Rolando Estabillo, PAL's president and vice president for corporate communications, respectively, but they were reportedly in Bacolod and were not due to return to Manila until early yesterday evening.
As of 6:30 p.m. yesterday, they were yet to return the INQUIRER's calls.
Barrientos earlier said he would go on a leave of absence to sort out his problems with his wife.
But the majority members of the Palea board want him out, saying they have lost trust and confidence in his leadership.
Palea seeks Congress probe
By Armand Nocum
OFFICIALS of the ground crew union of Philippine Airlines are asking Congress to investigate reports that PAL owner Lucio Tan had bribed the union president into agreeing to the suspension of the collective bargaining agreement for 10 years.
Abel Capili, board member of the PAL Employees Association (Palea), said the 21-men board of directors of Palea may pass a resolution asking Congress to initiate a probe of the huge sum of money given by Tan to Palea president Alexander Barrientos and other union officials.
Capili said the plan to draft the resolution was hatched during a special board meeting called yesterday to deliberate on what actions to take against Barrientos.
Palea is seeking the ouster of Barrientos following reports that he had received P50 million from Tan to ensure that the union would vote in favor of suspending the CBA.
Capili said there was a need for both houses of Congress to step into the matter as PAL was a public utility. He added that government agencies were PAL stockholders.
''Some have proposed that Congress should investigate the alleged P50 million payoff because the issue involves a national figure, Lucio Tan, who is close to the President,'' Capili told reporters.
He said several ''brokers,'' who helped hammer out a PAL-Palea deal to end the strike last year and keep the flag carrier flying, should also be included in the investigation.
Raffy de la Cruz, a Palea board member, said that among those who helped push the controversial deal were labor leader Felimon ''Popoy'' Lagman, human rights advocate Renato Constantino, and Palea legal counsel Arno Sanidad.
Lagman was also reported to have received P20 million from Tan, an allegation which Lagman vehemently denied.
Last week, Barriento's wife, Lorna Miranda, claimed that her husband had received P50 million from Tan in July last year at the height of the Palea strike.
The accusation was contained in a concubinage case she filed with the Makati Regional Trial Court against Barrientos who allegedly abandoned his family to live with another woman.
In a board meeting last Wednesday, some Palea board members and shop stewards admitted to receiving P10,000 as ''loan'' from Barrientos.
The money was reportedly given out during the time that Barrientos and other board members were campaigning to have Tan's proposal to suspend the CBA approved in a referendum.
Barrientos denied receiving the P50 million. But he admitted that he lent P10,000 to some Palea officials. He said the money came from his own pocket, not Tan's.
Palea vice president Jerry Rivera also admitted to receiving P10,000 from Barrientos. But Rivera said the money was a loan which he used it to pay for his hospitalization.
Other board members belied reports that some of them were bribed into accepting Tan's proposal.
''Do you think they can buy us out for only P10,000? It defies logic,'' said a member of the Palea board.
Tan was not available for comment.
The INQUIRER also tried to reach Avelino Zapanta and Rolando Estabillo, PAL's president and vice president for corporate communications, respectively, but they were reportedly in Bacolod and were not due to return to Manila until early yesterday evening.
As of 6:30 p.m. yesterday, they were yet to return the INQUIRER's calls.
Barrientos earlier said he would go on a leave of absence to sort out his problems with his wife.
But the majority members of the Palea board want him out, saying they have lost trust and confidence in his leadership.