MANILA, Philippines – The Flight Attendants and Stewards Association of the Philippines on Tuesday said it would appeal the Supreme Court ruling which reversed its decision ordering the reinstatement of 1,400 Philippine Airlines workers in 1998 purportedly because a wrong division issued the ruling.
“We will file a motion for reconsideration in the coming days because we believe the [SC order] was illegal,” Fasap president Bob Anduiza told the Philippine Daily Inquirer in a phone interview.
“As if by a mere stroke of a magic wand, the case, which had already been decided three times by the Supreme Court, has now been re-opened. This paves the way to a possible reversal of the case. This is unprecedented and highly anomalous, the “Honorable” justices of the Supreme Court should be held accountable for this naked power play,” Fasap said in a statement.
Anduiza added they were also planning to hold a series of protest actions to show how disgusted they were with the SC ruling.
“We were really dismayed and shocked by the sudden turn of events,” he said, adding that the union was not accorded a due process of the law. “How can a mere letter from [PAL lawyer] Atty. [Estrelito] Mendoza cause a recall of such a monumental Supreme Court decision involving the lives of 1,400 people? What compelling reason justified the Supreme Court recall?”
Citing “technicalities,” the high court on Monday recalled the September 7 decision by its Second Division and decided to take up the issue once more in an en banc session on Tuesday.
Anduiza said they would also demand for a copy of Mendoza’s letter.
“We would like to know everything about the letter but I doubt if the court will ever expose its contents,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (Palea) expressed its support for Fasap.
“Like Palea, Fasap is also a victim of Lucio Tan’s greed and corruption. We call on all workers, especially contractuals, and Filipinos opposed to contractualization to come to the big protest [Wednesday] for social justice and change,” said Gerry Rivera, Palea president and vice chairman of Partido ng Manggagawa.
“The protracted legal fight of Fasap for the 1,400 cabin crew is the reason we ask that the outsourcing of 2,600 ground employees be halted pending final decision by the courts. We do not want Palea members and their families to suffer while waiting 13 years for a final Supreme Court decision which later upholds the illegality of the outsourcing plan,” he added.
Palea also lambasted PAL over its allegation that its members were harassing the volunteers and service providers working for the country’s flag carrier.
“PAL is setting up the scenario for the police to dismantle the protest camp as a sequel to the forcible dispersal of protesting Palea members last September 27. PAL’s scabs are being nagged by their guilty consciences but no one has been harassed,” Rivera said.
On Monday, the PAL management said it requested heavier police presence in and around Terminal 2 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport due to alleged numerous complaints of harassment and acts of violence against PAL volunteers and service providers.