Toyota Drops Claim Against Philippine-Toyota Workers in 10-year-long Criminal Case

 Judge Ramsey Domingo Pichay of Paranaque MTC Branch 78 ruled on May 28 the permanent dismissal of a criminal case against the Toyota Motors Phililppine Corporation Workers Association members. The subsidiary of Toyota Motors, the Toyota Motors Philippine Corp. fabricated a criminal case against the union members to suppress strikes they launched in opposition to the mass layoff of 2001. The company has subjected the union members to the attack for more than 10 years in a lawsuit in the district court. TMPCWA counter-acted against the company’s attack more than 10 years in solidarity with the support group in Japan and other union members, as well as ILO recommendations that recognized the criminal case imposed upon them as a human right violation. Last August, the union fought against the illegal attack by Toyota and the court saying that they would arrest all the union members unless they repay the bail and proceeded to the company’s testimonials. However,  the company representative failed to show up in court (for reasons unknown). It became difficult for Toyota to continue with the lawsuit and filed for a request to resolve the case (including the possibility of retracting the claim). As a result, the two parties sat though deliberations on May 28, when Toyota expressed its wish to retract its claim. The union accepted without any condition and finally won the permanent dismissal of the criminal case. (By KOJIMA Takeshi)
TMPCWA website

フィリピントヨタ労組、１０年余の刑事告訴を撤回させる
５ 月２８日、フィリピンのパラニャーケ市にある首都圏地裁第78支部のピチャイ裁判官は、フィリピントヨタ労組（ＴＭＰＣＷＡ）の全被告組合員に対して刑事 事件を永久に却下する命令をした。トヨタ自動車のフィリピン子会社・フィリピントヨタは、2001年大量解雇反対した組合のストライキを弾圧するため、警 備員が重大な威圧を受け工場門を出入りできなくなった（身体接触なし）と刑事事件をでっち上げ、これをテコに一審だけで10年以上もフィリピントヨタ労組 攻撃をしてきた。労組は、刑事事件が人権侵害であるというＩＬＯ勧告を力に、被告・組合員の団結と日本の支援する会の緊密な連携して10年以上にわたり粘 り強く強く反撃してきた。昨年8月には「保釈保証金を更新しなければ逮捕する！」というトヨタ側と裁判所が結託した悪らつ違法な攻撃に反撃、粉砕し、告訴 人の本人尋問に進んだ。だが、本人は出頭せず（理由不明）、追い詰められたトヨタ側は勝訴どころか訴訟維持さえ困難となり、司法紛争解決手続（告訴取下げ の可能性を含む）を申立てた。その結果、5月28日に協議が行われ、告訴人から告訴取下げの意思が表明され、労組被告側が即時無条件に受け入れ、ついに裁 判所から事件そのものの永久却下の決定を得ることができた。(小嶋武志)
 詳報・フィリピントヨタ労組HP（英語）