Ex-PALEA execs face estafa raps

MANILA, Philippines – A former employee of Philippine Airlines (PAL) has filed a complaint for estafa against the erstwhile officers of the Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA).

In a complaint filed recently before the Pasay City prosecutor’s office, Regidor Darole said former PALEA officials, led by its ex-president Gerry Rivera, allegedly duped him of P50,000 in exchange for his reinstatement as a PAL employee following the airlines’ outsourcing program in 2010.

Darole, who worked as a technician at the flag carrier’s maintenance and planning division, claimed that he and the other former PAL employees were made to believe that they would get their jobs back.

Aside from Rivera, other respondents in the case were former vice president Alnem Alfredo Varona, secretary Pretencio Ambrocio Palad, and board of directors Alfred Ramiso, Ramon Patrick Salud, Epifanio Bagsic, Emmanuel Gan, Renato Rivera, Arthur Apostol,?Alan Mindo and Eugene Soriano.

Darole claimed that Rivera explained to them that for purposes of settlement with PAL, they would receive a considerable amount of money as compensation from the airline.

He said they were told to execute a release waiver and quitclaim, which would pave the way for their reinstatement as PAL employees.

Darole said almost two years had passed but he and the other retrenched employees failed to get back their jobs, prompting him to file a case against the former PALEA officers.