Joining protests in time for the opening of the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona in the Senate, labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno said today that workers will be keeping a close watch on the trial, saying workers want former Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo punished for her cimes.
KMU said Corona is an impediment to the prosecution of Arroyo for her grave crimes against the Filipino workers and people.
“We want Corona impeached for his use of the Supreme Court to defend Arroyo. We want him impeached because he is an impediment to attaining justice over Arroyo’s numerous and grave crimes,” said Elmer “Bong” Labog, KMU chairperson.
“Workers have no love lost for Corona because he is responsible for many of the anti-worker and anti-people rulings of the Supreme Court under his term. The SC’s rulings on the VAT on toll, coco levy and Fasap cases did not endear him to the country’s workers, to say the least,” he added.
“We will be holding protests not only to ensure that Corona is impeached, but that his impeachment will result in the successful prosecution and jailing of Arroyo,” Labog said.
Impeachment dangers
KMU also said that workers will be keeping track of the impeachment trial because of the dangers posed to workers and the people by the hidden agenda of Pres. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III in impeaching Corona.
“We support the impeachment of Corona but we do not support Pres. Aquino’s agenda in campaigning to impeach Corona. For one, we stand firm with the SC ruling on Hacienda Luisita and demand its immediate implementation,” said Labog.
The SC released a decision last November revoking the Stock Distribution Option in Hacienda Luisita, owned by Pres. Aquino’s family, and ordering the distribution of the hacienda’s lands to farmers.
“We will not allow the impeachment to be a distraction that hides the worsening hunger and poverty from the public’s view. We will continue to fight for a significant wage hike, the junking of contractualization, an end to demolition of urban poor dwellings, and government control over oil prices even during the impeachment trial,” he said.
“We will also condemn and resist Pres. Aquino’s takeover of the Supreme Court. We want Corona out of the Supreme Court but we don’t want Aquino wielding full control over the high tribunal,” he added.
from: kilusangmayouno.org
