Leadership still an issue with TUCP’s two camps

ONE OF the two opposing camps within the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) has rejected an international trade union organization’s recognition of the validity of the other TUCP faction led by former solon and TUCP General Secretary Ernesto F. Herrera.

In a statement issued yesterday, the dissenting TUCP group led by lawyer Democrito T. Mendoza “strongly protest[ed], the action taken by ITUC-AP (International Trade Union Confederation-Asia-Pacific) General Secretary Noriyuki Suzuki and the ITUC-AP Executive Bureau on the leadership issue in the [TUCP] by endorsing the alleged constitutional succession of [Mr. Herrera] to the TUCP presidency from [Mr. Mendoza].”

The Mendoza-led faction was reacting to Mr. Suzuki’s letter to Mr. Herrera dated March 16, which acknowledged Mr. Herrera’s “constitutional succession of the TUCP Presidency.”

In a separate statement issued last month, the ITUC-AP pointed out that Mr. Mendoza’s resignation in November last year “was confirmed by the TUCP Executive Board Meeting duly held on 9 November 2011.”

It also stated that when the two camps held their own general council meetings in January wherein each group confirmed the presidency of their respective heads, only the Herrera group formed a quorum.

Thus, the ITUC stated, Mr. Herrera is the duly confirmed president of the largest labor group in the Philippines.

In its statement yesterday, however, the Mendoza group argued that under TUCP rules, the leadership issue within the organization can only be determined internally by TUCP members and not by the ITUC.

“Mr. Suzuki should respect local self-determination. Domestic internal and intra-union affairs are not the ambit of the ITUC-AP through the leadership of Mr. Suzuki,” the statement read.

Citing leadership misrepresentation and unliquidated cash advances worth about P2.6 million allegedly authorized by Mr. Herrera, the Mendoza camp stated that Mr. Herrera got the ITUC endorsement “by using their resources and clout at the international level.”

The dispute between the two groups started when Mr. Mendoza submitted last October his resignation as TUCP president effective Nov. 1, 2011.

The TUCP board had already approved his resignation when he retracted it in January this year, claiming Mr. Herrera, who was previously general secretary, could not yet assume presidency. — Aubrey E. Barrameda, Manila Standard Today