Ceres drivers fight back-2

By Modesto P. Sa-onoy

 

Yesterday I cited the narration of the drivers of the kind of coercive and intimidating actions of the Ceres Liner manager. Another complainant, Cyril Caparida corroborated in his affidavit these illegal orders by the accused supervisors:

“Mr. Eduard Entor (Entor) Asst. Operation’s Manager has issued an order that, all drivers and conductors involved in the parking of the units at the Compound last August 7, 2019 cannot get their salary unless they have reported to the Head Office. Also, we will not be given duty slips and therefore we cannot drive our unit if we will not report to the Head Office as directed.”

This oppressive order and threat hit right into the livelihood of the complainants. There were others who were forced to sign the falsified charge against the Y4 but only the complainants, in this case, had the courage to stand for the truth and their personal integrity. The others were apparently cowed to submission that they did not join the complaint. We can understand their refusal to be part of this case; indeed courage demands that a person transcends the weakness of human nature.

The complaint further recalled that the “respondent supervisors would personally transport most of these drivers and conductors (including Complainants) to the Head Office using company-issued SUVs.

The complaint further said that respondent Entor played a conspicuous and major role.

“Upon arrival at the Head Office, Complainants would be directed to proceed to the 3rd Floor of the Main Building, where the Office of the Legal Department is and they would be given a brief pep talked by several respondents that “what they will be doing will be in support of Olivia V. Yanson (OVY), as well as her two favorite children Ginnette Y. Dumancas (GYD) and Leo Rey Yanson (LRY) or commonly known as Y2.”

Wow! What kind of support is that when based on falsehood and intimidation? The oppressors, in this case, have really stooped down into the mud, an indication not only of the weakness of their cause but moral bankruptcy to attain a highly notorious objective – the strengthening of a questionable claim.

“After the brief pep talk, these drivers and conductors (including Complainants) would be subjected to a series of interrogation sessions primarily conducted by ATTYS. COLLIN DIRK ISIDTO, ROLAND JUN PUGOY, JUBERT KATALBAS, GERRY LLENA, ROVI GRACE MENDOZA and JULIUS ENTILA (respondent lawyers) and their staffs (THESSALIE PIA ALISEN, MAYCHELLE DE JESUS and GRACE SEALMOY).”

For ordinary, innocent people to be “interrogated” by a lawyer is intimidating enough. To be bombarded by six lawyers and three women who must have also lost their senses as to actively participate in grilling the drivers that must be excruciating moments for their victims.

I would not be surprised if the drivers were given a “pep talk” spiced with suggestions or instruction for them to tell a lie. That is common in interrogation. Psychological terror is one of the instruments because the word “interrogation” itself means more than to ask (rogare) but a series of questions in between (inter) to direct a person to the answer the interrogator wants.

What’s the interrogation method?

The complainants said, “these interrogation sessions usually start with respondent lawyers or their staff asking Complainants to recall the August 7, 2019 incident, where Complainants freely and voluntarily decided to park their respective buses at the Dynamic Builders Compound as there was an ongoing commotion at the South Bus Terminal (Sambok) and at the Head Office due to the ongoing intra-corporate conflict between the group of Roy S Yanson (RSY), Celina Y. Lopez (CYL), Emily V. Yanson (EVY) and Ricardo Yanson, Jr. (RJR) or commonly known as the Y4 on one hand and OVY and Y2 on the other.”

The complaint “recalled that during the time material to this case and at the height of the battle for management and control of VTI between Y4 and Y2, drivers and conductors (including herein Complainants) of 55 VTI buses were forced to park their respective units at the Compound as the ongoing commotion at Sambok and Head Office prevented them from parking their respective units in their usual place.”

The case arising from this incident became a humiliating blow to the Y2 and cohorts that must be remedied. We’ll continue with that tomorrow.