Power struggle splits big labor group

A bitter power struggle between senior figures in the All Labor Union (Alu) and the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines is threatening to break up a coalition of the two major labor organizations in the country.

The fight between Democrito Mendoza, the Alu head, and former senator Ernesto Herrera, a TUCP stalwart who was ousted as secretary general of the Alu-TUCP coalition, had the two factions trading allegations of funds misuse and mismanagement.

The struggle to control the 250,000 strong Alu-TUCP, which has won party-list seats at the House of Representatives, boiled over on Wednesday night when Herrera and his allies tried to enter the TUCP premises in Quezon City.

This was a day after Herrera was replaced as secretary general by Victorino Balais, president of Philippine Trade and General Workers Organization (PTGWO) by the TUCP general council in a majority vote.

Barred from compound

Alan Tanjusay, the media officer of the Alu-TUCP, said Herrera was barred from entering the compound as Mendoza feared that he would take away documents from the offices.

According to Tanjusay, Herrera was accused of misusing TUCP funds from international sources. An external audit showed that Herrera had allegedly finagled at least P2.5 million from the organization.

Herrera denied the allegations in a press conference Thursday, claiming that the use of the funds in question had all been approved by the Alu-TUCP board.

He assailed Mendoza’s group for barring him and his companions from entering the compound. “They hired hoodlums,” he said.

He also said that Mendoza was unfit to head the coalition and that he was the one who mishandled money from donors.

Succession

TUCP vice president Alex Villaviza said Mendoza, 89, formally vacated his post in November 2011. Under the organization’s laws, the secretary general should succeed him.

“Senator Herrera, who previously held the post of secretary general, rose to president via succession under TUCP’s constitution and by-laws,” said Villaviza.

But Tanjusay clarified that Mendoza tendered his resignation as president of the coalition but the council prevailed on him to stay.

Villaviza said the TUCP intends to recall its party-list representative in Congress, Raymond Mendoza, because of serious allegations of self-dealing. Raymond is the son of Democrito Mendoza.

“We’ve lost all confidence in the individual representing us in Congress,” Villaviza said.

“We will write both the Speaker of the House and the Commission on Elections, to inform them that (Raymond) Mendoza has been replaced as TUCP’s representative to Congress,” Villaviza said.

Under the Party-List System Act, Villaviza said it is the party, and not the individual or nominee, who gets elected into office.

“Thus, we can replace anytime the individual representing the party,” he said.