Over 18,000 cops to be deployed on Labor Day; PNP assures maximum tolerance

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MANILA (UPDATED) — More than 18,000 cops will be deployed nationwide to monitor and secure participants of planned Labor Day protests on Monday, Philippine National Police spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said Saturday.

"Ang kabilin-bilinan ng ating chief PNP ay we exercise maximum tolerance. At yung ating paramount consideration, yung respect for human rights, and freedom of expression and speech," Fajardo told ABS-CBN's TeleRadyo.

(Our chief PNP, Gen. Benjamin Acorda, Jr., gave instructions that we exercise maximum tolerance, and that our paramount consideration should be respect for human rights and freedom of expression and speech.)

The PNP is maintaining its normal alert status on Labor Day, although regional directors and other field commanders have the discretion to raise the level depending on the situation on the ground, she said.

Fajardo said the deployed PNP personnel will focus on freedom parks and other authorized places of convergence where rallies and other protest actions will be held.

Some personnel are also assigned in major thoroughfares and transport hubs to provide security for people traveling this long weekend.

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CALLS

Julius Cainglet, Vice President for Research, Advocacy, and Partnerships of the Federation of Free Workers, told TeleRadyo on Saturday that his group will join thousands of demonstrators during the nationwide Labor Day protests to call for an increase in the minimum wage, additional jobs, and assert workers' rights.

Labor groups are appealing for a P150 to P750 minimum wage hike, according to Cainglet, which he said is computed based on current estimates for a living wage.

Different labor groups will gather in España, Manila as early as 7 a.m. on May 1, he said.

They will march toward Mendiola for a short program that will end before noon to avoid heat exhaustion.

KILLINGS OF LABOR LEADERS

Cainglet urged the government to resolve trade union killings in the country, which he said has reached 69 since 2016.

The latest trade union killing happened in Region 6 just a few days ago, he said.

"Dapat ma-solve na ang lahat ng mga kasong iyan. Kaso, ni isang kaso ay di makausad-usad sa korte," said Cainglet.

(All those cases should be resolved. Not a single case saw progress in court.)

The labor leader also underscored the importance of unions in protecting workers' rights.

"Kinakailangan mayroong pagkilala sa karapatang mag-organisa ng mga manggagawa. Dahil 'pag may unyon, mas ligtas ang manggagawa, at mas maipagtatanggol po natin ang pangangailangan ng manggagawa sa sahod, benepisyo at mas magandang kalagayan sa paggawa," Cainglet said.

(There must be recognition of the right of the workers to organize. Because with a union, workers are safer, and we can better defend their petition for wage adjustment, benefits, and better working conditions.)

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