DAVAO CITY – Police authorities on Monday detained 10 former workers of Coca-Cola Femsa, who were protesting in front of the bottling plant in Bago Aplaya for impending access and disobedience.
Davao City Police Office (DCPO) spokesperson Senior Inspector Ma. Teresita Gaspan identifie those arrested as Renaldo Amani, 24, a resident of Lapulabaw, Davao del Sur; Michael Papalit Ulan-Ulan, 22, of Royal Valley, Bangkal, Davao City; Bryan Baysa Palera, 22, of Macleod, Toril, Davao City; Ricardo Gatok Sales, 36, of Sinawingan, Cotabato City; Romel Batolano Calacat, 29, of Nalum Village, Baliok, Davao City; Antony Banhaw Bayawan, 22, of Poblacion Malalag, Davao del Sur; Jessie Sabar Montecillo, 29, of Bajao Tago, Surigao del Sur; Alvin Asma Buccat, 29, of Sto. Tomas, Davao del Norte; Sustines Masaling Bantayan, 45, of Lower Rapnaga, Puan, Davao City; and Ian Tinosan Debalde, 24, of Bago Aplaya, Davao City.
The arrested workers, led by a certain Joram Bantayan alias Ting, reportedly of the Kilusang Manggagawa ng Coca-Cola (KIMACO), will also be facing charges of public disturbance and resistance and disobedience of persons in authority.
Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said the protest has already compromised public interest and the protesters also ignored efforts to negotiate peacefully.
“We remind everyone who might conduct protests in the future to (1) not block the entrance and exit of establishments (2) not to harass non-protesting employees and pedestrians (3) not to cause traffic to motorists,” she said in a press statement.
Duterte-Carpio said that while protesters can exercise their freedom to demonstrate, this does not give them the free pass to break laws and expect to just walk away from it.
The protesters were actually hired by Work Expert Agency, which has a contract as a service provider of Coca-Cola Femsa.
Coca-Cola Femsa reportedly changed its service provider and contracted B-Mirk Multipurpose Coordination (BMPC) for new workers.
Based on the report, Gaspan said the protesters gathered at around 5:50 a.m with the support of the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), represented by Bobby Pablo.
Gaspan said the mediation efforts were conducted by the National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB) represented by Nancy Lasquite with Femsa officials and representatives of Work Expert Agency.
Despite the negotiation, the protesters blocked the gates of Femsa and disobeyed the police officers, according to Gaspan.
The mayor stressed the city government respects the right of its people to protest and it has not shown hostility to groups expressing dissent, even allowing them to take their actions to the streets and air their voices in public — even during these days when the city is under Martial Law.
Duterte-Carpio said the police and the military have been ordered to always observe maximum tolerance in dealing with protesters and avoid the escalation of violence.
“The incident on Monday morning involving elements of the Davao City Police and protesting workers of Coca-Cola Femsa, however, demanded the application of urgent and appropriate police action, including the dispersal of the demonstration and the arrest of 10 protesters,” the mayor said. (Lilian C. Mellejor/PNA)
