The filing of the criminal charges by Tanduay Distillers Inc. against those found to be involved in the 54 ghost deliveries of second hand Tanduay bottles was only proper and in accordance with law, a press statement from the company said.

It said the reaction of union president Teofilo Agravante was expected by the management.

Agravante had said that the complaint filed by TDI against them is a desperate move to harass and destroy the union because they are questioning the alleged anomalies of the management.

A complaint for 54 counts of estafa through falsification of commercial and private documents was filed by the manager of Tanduay Distillers Inc., Friday before the Provincial Prosecutor's Office against eight employees of the company and two others.

The complaint was filed by Roberto Salvador against warehouse supervisors Johnny Kho, Jun Micabel, and Rolando Uy; warehouse custodians Teofilo Agravante, Ramer Puyogao and Jose Joel Macaya; former warehouse custodian Jerry Java, production bottles custodian Rommel Niepes, Alfonso Verdeflor, a subcontractor of Park Enterprises and a former employee, and a certain J. Golez, as driver of fraudulent deliveries.

In his complaint affidavit, Salvador said he has discovered 54 cases of fraudulent deliveries of second hand Tanduay bottles which resulted in business losses amounting to P2,816,755.20.

He said that after personally conducting an investigation, he found the 10 persons mentioned to have conspired and confederated to commit the crime of estafa through falsification of commercial; and private documents.

The press release from Tanduay Distillers Inc. said the criminal case should be treated by the union as separate and distinct from whatever labor issues they may have with TDI. It is not in any way related to whatever labor issue is pending between the group of Agravante and TDI, it said.

Whether the criminal charges filed against them are mere allegations, it is not for Agravante to decide, the release said. But certainly, TDI has voluminous documents and several witnesses to support the case, it said. However, TDI declined to comment further since the complaint is already with the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor, it added.

Insofar as the labor issues are concerned, nothing has yet been finally decided by the Supreme Court, the release said. For Agravante to say that they have the image of “being a union buster” is self-serving and his own impression and TDI respects that, it said.

It said the labor case is still under review by the Supreme Court, so he better wait for the decision. It advised Agravante to just face the criminal charges for 54 counts of estafa through falsification of commercial and private documents.

Agravante said it is the stand of the Labor Union of Tanduay from the very start, in filing a complaint before the National Conciliation and Mediation Board, that all the action of TDI is a form of harassment and union-busting.

It should not be treated as separate and distinct because it was so obvious that the officers and members are being harassed in a legal way, he said.

Agravante said “We could not stop them from filing a case against us and we are very much prepared.” He said the Tanduay management could not stop the union from practicing its basic rights provided in the Constitution.

“Let the truth come out,” Agravante said. He called on the management to submit themselves to a lifestyle check because the union believes that they have a very luxurious life, he said.*CGS

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