SUPREME COURT ISSUED RULING ON TUCP LEADERSHIP ROW

The Supreme Court (SC), it Resolution dated January 24, 2018, dismissed the petition filed by the camp of former Senator Herrera against the decisions of the Bureau of Labor Relations (BLR), the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary and the Court of Appeals. The high court said the petition was filed using a wrong legal procedure.

On March 31, 2016, the BLR issued an Order determining the 27 bonafide and legitimate member-organizations of the TUCP. That BLR Order was assailed by the “Herrera Group” and they made an appeal to the Office of the Secretary (OSEC) of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

Following the March 31, 2016 BLR determination of member-organizations/federations, the TUCP held its 8th Convention and Regular Election of Officers on 02 April 2016, at the TUCP Headquarters in Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines, pursuant to Article VI of the TUCP Constitution and By-Laws. All the 27 member-organizations were invited to participate in the Convention and the election of new officers. The said convention elected Rep. Raymond Mendoza from the Associated Labor Unions (ALU) as President; Philippine Trade and General Workers Organization (PTGWO) Atty. Arnel Dolendo as General Secretary; and Philippine Government Employees Association (PGEA) Esperanza Ocampo as Treasurer.

On September 28, 2016, the March 31, 2016 Order of the BLR was affirmed by the new Secretary of Labor and Employment Silvestre H. Bello III and the subsequent Motion for Reconsideration filed by former Labor Secretary Ruben D. Torres, who represented himself as the new TUCP President was denied on December 13, 2016.

The February 21, 2017 Petition for Certiorari filed by former Labor Secretary Torres and Atty. Capoquian with the Court of Appeals (CA) assailing the rulings of the current Secretary of Labor and Employment, Silvestre H. Bello III was dismissed by the Thirteenth Division of the Court of Appeals on August 11, 2017. The CA sustained the Resolutions of the BLR and DOLE, affirming “that there are only 27 labor organizations as legitimate TUCP members”. On September 20, 2017, the camp of Mr. Torres filed a petition for certiorari with the Supreme Court to reverse and set-aside the Court of Appeals decision. After almost four months, the Supreme Court resolved to dismiss the said petition due to technicality.

The TUCP is now just waiting for the Certificate of Finality of the Supreme Court decision that will be issued within 30 days beginning the date of issuance of the court resolution. The TUCP leadership under Rep. Raymond Mendoza hopes that the leadership dispute within the labor center will be finally settled soon in favor of the majority of its legitimate members. TUCP PRESS RELEASE March 22, 2018