Unionists Reject Aquino’s Constitution

The Philippines’ largest labor movement on Sunday voted to campaign against President Corazon Aquino’s proposed constitution, saying her government has drifted to the right in its policies.

The resolution was passed unanimously by 350 delegates attending the weekend congress of the leftist May 1st Movement, which claims more than 500,000 members.

“This congress signals the start of an active campaign of this position and the propagation of the basic demands of the people,” the resolution said.

Officials of the labor federation previously said it would back ratification of the charter in the Feb. 2 plebiscite so as not to be linked with supporters of ousted President Ferdinand E. Marcos, who oppose the document.

In another vote, the federation elected its spokesman, Crispin Beltran, as chairman. Beltran, 53, said the organization will end a self-imposed “policy of restraint” in calling strikes an1679846497rights.”

He succeeds Rolando Olalia, who was slain last month. Leftists blame “fascist elements” linked to former Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile for the unsolved killing, but Enrile denies involvement.

Beltran said the draft constitution “is not reflective of the interests and demands of the workers” and the convention expressed concern over “an irreversible drift to the right” by the government.

He cited such policies as selling off unproductive state companies, adherence to International Monetary Fund recommendations for debt repayment and import liberalization.

Beltran said those policies were no different from those of the Marcos administration.

The resolution also said the draft constitution links the national economy to “U.S. imperialism” and does not go far enough in providing for land reform.

The proposed constitution permits U.S. bases to remain in the Philippines after 1991 if provided for by a bilateral treaty.