Police on alert as PAL protest continues

CEBU, Philippines - The Lapu-Lapu City Police Office has assured the public the necessary measures to maintain peace and order in the city are in place as some employees of Philippine Air Lines stationed at the Mactan Cebu International Airport continue with their protest.

Lapu-Lapu City police chief Senior Superintendent Anthony Obenza said the police have put up, among others, a checkpoint in barangay Pusok to monitor the movements of protesters and their supporters.

Some militant labor groups in Cebu allegedly sympathize with PAL employees.

The Police Regional Officer-7 has also deployed members of the Regional Mobile Group personnel and members of the disturbance team.

Eutiquio Bulambot, one of the protesting workers, said the protest will continue until management accepts their demands.

Although some of their co-employees have accepted the packaged deal by the management, Bulambot said this has not discouraged the rest of them.

Starting October 1, PAL management will outsource employees.

Of the 2,600 employees affected nationwide, 206 come from Mactan airport.

A check made by The FREEMAN showed that some PAL flights for Manila and other destinations have been delayed or cancelled because of the protest initiated by the PAL Employees Association in Manila.