Police arrest 10 protesters at softdrink warehouse in Davao City

DAVAO CITY – Police here arrested 10 workers of Coca-Cola Femsa while conducting a spontaneous protest in front of the firm’s warehouse in Barangay Bago Aplaya in Talomo district here, Anakpawis Rep. Ariel Casilao said on Monday.

Casilao said the fate of the arrested Coca-Cola workers was not yet clear.

Senior Insp. Teresita Gaspan, spokesperson of the Davao City Police Office, confirmed the arrest of the protesters past 5 a.m. She described them as former workers under the Kilusang Mayo Uno.

Gaspan said the protesters were opposing Coca Cola Femsa’s decision to tap the services of another agency to supply it with laborers, instead of its former agent, Work Expert Agency.

Gaspan said that, despite negotiations, the protesters “illegally blocked” the two gates of Coca Cola Femsa’s warehouse and prevented delivery trucks from getting out.

She identified three of the arrested protesters as Renaldo Amani, 24; Michael Papalit Ulan-Ulan, 22; and Bryan Baysa Palera, 22.