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“We have brave clients. They deserve brave lawyers” Atty. Romeo Capulong 1935 - 2012
Last January 2011, a work accident took the lives of ten workers at the Eton Residences construction site at Makati, Philippines. They were underpaid, one was a minor, and the gondola they were riding on had no permit -- yet two years later, justice remains elusive for the victims of the tragedy. Their families, however, do not lose hope as they continue to struggle against an immensely powerful and wealthy enemy.
Who dared to take a stand with them?
Attorney Remigio “Meng” Saladero is one such lawyer. Born and raised in southern island of Mindanao, Atty. Meng witnessed the atrocities in his hometown during the Martial Law years and decided to take up the people’s cause through lawyering. A human rights defender at first, Atty. Meng moved on to serve workers, arguing that labor rights are human rights.
Handling hundreds of cases, along with those of the Eton accident, Atty. Meng emphasizes the need for more volunteers in the pro-labor practice and the rewards of serving the oppressed. As the Eton victims’ main counsel, he proves that he is a defender of those who are willing to defend themselves. Against a system that voraciously consumes time and money -- resources that the marginalized cannot afford -- he asserts that the people’s unity ultimately tips the scales of justice in favor of the oppressed.