DoLE upholds Mendoza as TUCP prexy; election set

THE government on Monday affirmed with finality its decision recognizing Democrito “Kito” Mendoza as president of the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP), the biggest labor organization in the country.

In a resolution released on June 3, the Bureau of Labor Relations of the Department of Labor and Employment (BLR-DoLE), affirmed its August 10, 2012 decision that Mendoza remains thePresident of the TUCP and dismissed the appeal of Ernesto Herrera contesting the TUCP presidency.

The BLR ruling stemmed from an intra-union dispute within TUCP arising from a series of desperate acts of Herrera to grab the presidency of the largest labor group in the Philippinesfrom Mendoza beginning November 2011, including a failed attempt to seize control and possession of the TUCP headquarters in Quezon City in March the following year.

The same June 3 ruling also ordered the creation of a committee of five—two representatives each from the camps of Mendoza and Herrera and one from the DoLE as chairperson—which shall oversee the conduct of a special convention which will elect and choose their leaders.

“This is justice for Atty. Mendoza—the man who valiantly dedicated most of his life in helping build the TUCP from a small union in the Cebu ports into a labor center to reckon with towards transforming it to what is now as the apex organization of the Filipino workers,” said Gerry Rivera, Vice President of the TUCP.

“The empirical fact is that we have the membership and the objective truth is that I continue to exercise the authority of TUCP President vested in me by the majority of TUCP affiliates.

The BLR decision has unmasked the deliberate fraud advanced by Boy Herrera and has overturned the deception conjured by him. Truth has once more prevailed that I am—and remain—the lawfullly recognized President of TUCP,” Mendoza said.

Mendoza also stressed that he will submit to the resolution calling for secret balloting in a special convention of TUCP affiliates and wants it done as soon as possible to resolve once and for all the issue of TUCP presidency.

“We are complying with the BLR order and we have appointed Attorneys Arnel Dolendo and German Pascua to be our representatives to the committee of five who will determine the date and venue of the election.

Source: http://www.journal.com.ph/index.php/news/national/51826-dole-upholds-mendoza-as-tucp-prexy-election-set