Mar Roxas---anti-labor? Or anti-labor because of a former colleague at the Senate?

Is DOTC secretary Mar Roxas anti-labor? I am asking this because the Courts have already spoken on the case of the Pantranco franchises and he issued a statement saying that the DOTC will review the case.


Imagine that---a mere governmental agency arrogating a power of review of the Supreme Court? Based on law, the function of a governmental agency is that of enforcement, not of review. What law gave the DOTC the power to review a decision of the court? 


Mar Roxas is such a nice guy and to think that he's anti-labor is something of an aberration. Yes, he is a Technocrat, but not all technocrats are gravely anti-labor. 


Here's the story about the Pantranco franchises.


The Supreme Court has just ruled that the labor unions of the defunct Pantranco bus lines won in their labor case against the bus firm. According to the law, when a union wins its case against a company, the company will then compensate them based on the Court's ruling. The Court ruled that Pantranco union members should get the assets of the company. These assets include these franchises.


Now, the franchises, according to those who want Roxas to be in a very delicate position, already expired prior to the release of the SC ruling. These franchises, granted by the LTFRB, did not expire. The granting authority, the LTFRB, has already resolved that. Fact is, the LTFRB board is constrained to enforce the law, and if the Courts say that those franchises be given to the unions, then, that is the only interpretation, and no more. 


Yesterday, The Court of Appeals denied another petition seeking the nullification of an LTFRB ruling saying that those franchises can be validly given to the unions for their just compensation. Why do these bus companies want to nullify the legal sale or transfer of the franchise rights to a legitimate bus company? Answer---competitive rivalry. 


Don't tell me that Mar Roxas, this energetic and visionary of a politician, is siding with big bus companies to deny the labor union's rights to dispose of their legitimate franchises which they got as compensation when they lost their jobs in 1993 when Pantranco closed down?


Don't tell me that Mar Roxas arrogated this "power to review" court cases out of his misguided desire to please big bus companies, such as Genesis Transport Service Incorporated, which everyone knows, is owned by Senator Edgardo Angara's relatives?


And please, God, don't tell me that Mar Roxas is staking his reputation, his untarnished honor and integrity as a pro-people politician just to please Angara and not the laborers who wanted twenty years for justice?


Mr. Roxas--who are your bosses? The people or Genesis?


And please, God, don't tell me that my idol, Senator Ed Angara wants to deprive these workers of their just compensation rights to fund his son's foray into the Senatorial race? Bus industry insiders say that Angara's relatives want to become the Biggest Bus monopoly capitalist in the Philippines---and for the sake of the transport workers?