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Comelec urged to investigate and review accreditation of bogus PLs

Kabataan Partylist Second Nominee Mark Louie Aquino today urged the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) to investigate and review the accreditation of 38 Malacanang-backed partylists.

“The people behind these 38 partylists are all Arroyo allies. Some of them are partylists included in the 2007 Office of External Affairs memo while others are being fielded by Cabinet members and known allies of the Arroyo administration,” Aquino said.

The OEA memo was exposed last 2007 elections by progressive partylists. In the confidential document, a secret memorandum dated October 16, 2006 addressed to Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo informed her of the “participation of Malacanang’s grassroots and allied NGOs and people’s organizations in the 2007 congressional race” to counter and lower the number of votes for progressive partylists.

The memo also said that a budget of P5.5 million was requested to cover the funds for the groups’ electoral campaign. Included in the OEA memo are partylists accredited by the Comelec to run in the 2010 polls, including:

1.) BABAE KA

2.) LYPAD

3.) KALAHI

4.) AGBIAG

5.) ABONO

6.) KASANGGA

7.) AGING PINOY

Aquino also enumerated other partylists with dubious associations with the Arroyo government, namely:

8.) 1-UTAK

9.) 1GANAP/GUARDIAN

10.) 1^ST KABAGIS

11.) A IPRA

12.) A TEACHER

13.) ABAKADA

14.) ADAM

15.) AHON

16.) Ang Galing Pinoy

17.) AKSA

18.) ALIF

19.) ANAD

20.) ANAK

21.) APEC

22.) APO

23.) ARARO

24.) ARC

25.) APOI

26.) Aangat Tayo

27.) AVE

28.) BANAT

29.) BANTAY

30.) BIDA

31.) BIGKIS PONOY

32.) BIYAHENG PINOY

33.) BUTIL

34.) COOP-NATCO

35.) KAKUSA

36.) TUCP

37.) Veterans Freedom Party

38.) YACAP

“We urge the Comelec to review their accreditation on grounds that they are not really for the marginalized and that they are clearly violating the guidelines clarified by the Supreme Court,” Aquino said.

In the SC ruling Ang Bagong Bayani vs. Comelec (G.R. No. 147589, June 26, 2001) which disqualified Mamamayang Ayaw sa Droga (MAD), it is stated that partylists must not be associated with or funded by the government.

Aquino said that Presidential Son Mikey Arroyo is a nominee for Ang Galing Pinoy, while First Gentleman Mike Arroyo’s sister Lulu Arroyo is currently the representative of KASANGGA.

Meanwhile, Arroyo allies fielding or bidding for partylist seats are Energy Sec. Angelo Reyes (1-UTAK), DTI Sec. Jesli Lapus (A TEACHER or ABAKADA), Energy Usec. Zamzamin Ampatuan (ADAM), Director of Labor and Employment Information and Publication Service Nicon Fameronag (AHON), former Muslim Affairs Executive Director Acmad Tumawis (ALIF), former Cong. Salacnib Baterina (APO), DILG Usec. Melchor Rosales (APOI), Philippine International Trading Corp Usec. Teddie Elson Rivera (Aangat Tayo), and PAGCOR Chair Ephraim Genuino (BIDA or BIGKIS PINOY).

Pro-administration partylists include A IPRA, APEC, AVE, BIYAHENG PINOY, BUTIL, COOP-NATCO, TUCP and Veterans Freedom Party.

Aquino also said that some partylists have links to the military, namely, BANTAY, ANAD, ARARO, 1GANAP/GUARDIAN, 1^st KABAGIS, AKSA, ANAK and YACAP.

“There is a pertinent need to reform the partylist law so that bogus partylist groups would be prevented from bastardizing the partylist system. We are currently studying filing disqualification cases against these partylist groups,” Aquino said. ###

Reference:

Mark Louie Aquino, Second Nominee, 0929-2766548