Labor groups slam PNP for spying on unions

A coalition of the country’s biggest labor groups slammed the Philippine National Police (PNP) for sending its operatives to snoop in the offices of its member unions. 

Nagkaisa chair and Federation of Free Workers (FFW) Sonny Matula expressed alarm over reports that a group of persons who introduced themselves as members of the Quezon City Police Department visited the office of Sentro ng Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa (Sentro) in Metro Manila last Tuesday to inquire about its activities.

“Without relevant legal documents officially identifying and authorizing them and stating the purpose of their visit, they repeatedly asked for information regarding Sentro’s office, the other unions present there, and their activities,” Matula said. 

The suspicious individuals, he said, then visited the premises of the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) to inquire about Nagkaisa, of which Sentro is a member. 

Matula said Sentro was later able to confirm that the said individuals were indeed members of the QCPD. 

Nagkaisa condemened both incidents as a form of harassment of trade union offices and its personnel and demanded PNP chief Guillermo Eleazar to immediately put a stop to such activities. 

“Given important matters the police should attend to, surveillance of legitimate trade union work should not be among them,” Matula said. 

To finally address the matter, Matula already sent a letter to Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and PNP requesting for a meeting on Friday.  -BY SAMUEL MEDENILLA