Cordillera labor remembers selfless lawyer Federico Bunao

TRIBUTE

AldwinQuitasol

BAGUIO CITY — Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) Cordillera spokesperson Vicente Dilem said the Cordillera labor movement will surely miss the most down-to-earth but lawyer of high caliber who selflessly dedicated more than three decades of his life serving the toiling masses especially the poor workers here in the Cordillera Region and other places of Luzon.

Dilem said that Atty. Federico Bunao lived the thoughts of the revolutionary leader Mao Tse Tung: “Though death befalls all men alike, it may be weightier than Mount Tai or lighter than a feather. To die for the people is weightier than Mount Tai, but to work for the fascists and die for the exploiters and oppressors is lighter than a feather”.

Dilem said Bunao who preferred to be called not by his status of being an attorney but simply “Dick” taught them to be humble enough when dealing with the people who needed help but be fierce enough to fight for the rights of the oppressed workers.

Bunao's family is originally from the Bicol region that migrated to Antipolo, Rizal after a wealthy family grabbed their family house and their land. This experience served as an inspiration to him to persevere in becoming a lawyer to fight against injustices. After finishing high school, he went to Manila and pursued his college education while being a working student. Then he took up law studies and attended classes at night while working as a clerk in the public sector by day.

In college, Bunao joined the militant and nationalist youth organization Kabataang Makabayan (KM) until it was declared by former dictator Ferdinand Marcos as illegal. He participated in the rallies against the rule of Marcos and the call for a genuine social change.

KMU is keeping a profile of Bunao from 1980 until the time of his death.  “After graduating from law and passing the bar exams, organizers of the trade union movement invited him to serve the people of North Luzon, particularly the Cordillera and Ilocos regions. He did not hesitate. In the early 80’s, accompanied by Kilusang Mayo Uno (May First Movement or KMU) chairman, Rolando Olalia, he took a bus bound for Baguio City.”

“In Baguio, he was immediately integrated as labor lawyer of the Cordillera Labor Education Assistance and Research Center (CLEAR). At the time, the mine workers at Antamok mines were forming a union; they sought his help as their legal counsel.”

“From 1980 to 2012, he served thousands of workers not only in the Cordillera, Ilocos Provinces, but as also in as far as Isabela and Cagayan, among others. He became well-known for his down-to-earth attitude toward his clients, yet fierce and firm at legal battles. Most of the cases he handled were on “high grading.”

“Mine companies were suing workers caught “stealing” gold ore in areas where the company had property claims. Employers also sued workers for allegedly violating company rules; they also terminated workers. Most of the cases handled by lawyer Bunao won for the workers reinstatement with full back wages and payment of damages. Bunao’s attorney’s fees never came from the pockets of the workers as these were already integrated in the liabilities paid by the companies.”

“Some of the unions he served are the Mangmangged ti Benguet Antamok Gold Operations-National Federation of Labor Unions (MABAGO-Naflu-KMU), Baro a Timpuyog Dagiti Mangmangged it iBenguet-Naflu-KMU, Unyon Dagiti Mangmangged iti Itogon Suyoc Mines-Naflu-KMU, Agrofoods Employees Union-Naflu-KMU, workers of Narda’s weaving, Vital Farms Employees Union, Nagkakaisang Manggagawa sa Adriste, Nagkakaisang Manggagawa sa Ramos Construction, Philippine Rabbit Employees Union, Lepanto Employees Union-Naflu-KMU, Progressive Union of Mineworkers in Philex, Lepanto Security Force Union-Naflu-KMU, Shipside Employees Union, employees of Diamond Drilling Company of the Phils., Dong-in K7-Naflu-KMU, Bauang Power Plant Site Employees Union, and hundreds of workers from different workplaces, even the teachers of the colleges in Baguio. The latest addition is Sagada Weavers Union.”

Dilem said that Dick is a kind of lawyer that is hard to find. He said that the lawyer is not like the other lawyers who are simply after their attorney's fees or appearance fees. He said that many of Bunao's clients can manifest that he prioritizes how his clients will win the case and he will get his attorney's fees from the pockets of the company owners and managements or in short the capitalists.

Dilem said that Bunao lived a very simple life compared to the other lawyers who owns big houses, cars or vans. He said that the labor lawyer had only a television set, a wooden bed, a stove, few plates and utensils and a washing machine that he even let it be used by his coworkers. “Of course he had his precious law books and piles of cases that he read every night,” he said.

According to Dilem, it was really a sad news not only to the mass movement but more over to the workers and former workers whom he had served. He said that on the lawyer's wake, hundreds of people from many places of the Cordillera and other parts of the country came and not only offered their prayers for his soul but to share their stories about how Bunao touched their lives. “They came to give their utmost gratitude to the humble man who never boasted that he is an intelligent lawyer,” he said.

Dilem said that according to the people who are lucky enough to be work with Bunao, he is remembered bu his words: “Mga bosing, akosi Attorney Federico Bunao, tawagin niyo lamang akong Dick, ipaglaban natin hangga't makakaya 

ang mga kaso ninyo at pipilitin nating manalo,” (Sirs, I Am Attorney Federico Bunao, just cal me Dick, we will fight for your case until we can and we will do our best to win).

Bunao was born on April 17, 1947 and died of a fatal stroke on August 4, 2012.