Mikey A lashes back at critics bucking his bid for party-list seat in Congress

Stressing no one enjoys the monopoly of representing the marginalized sectors, presidential son and Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo yesterday lashed back at party-list representatives who have been criticizing him over reports he is seeking a party-list seat in Congress, saying they too come from the privileged sector of the society.

In a text message, Arroyo said the criticisms hurled at him by Bayan Muna Rep. Teodoro Casiño and Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros describing him as unfit to represent a party-list group because he does not belong to the marginalized sector smack of arrogance and hypocrisy.

“It is the height of hypocrisy. It is utmost arrogance on their part to say that. What sector are they representing? And don’t they come from the privileged sector, too?” Arroyo said.

Both Casiño and Hontiveros are criticizing the presidential son over reports that he has been chosen as the first nominee of Ang Galing Pinoy (AGP), a group of security guards, transport operators and other sectors, saying Arroyo’s nomination is a mockery of the party-list system.

Casiño even went to the extent of saying AGP should instead be called “Arroyo Ginogoyo ang Party-list.”

“Is this the way a congressman should talk about a colleague. I don’t speak that way about other people,” President Arroyo’s son said.

In choosing party-list nominees, Arroyo said what matters most is that their chosen representative will champion the cause, ideals and interests of the particular sector he or she will represent.

“Just like them (Casiño and Hontiveros), although they come from the privileged sector, they claim to champion the causes of the marginalized sector they represent,” Arroyo said, adding the same is being practiced even by revolutionary movement like the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).

“Mr. Jose Ma. Sison had been the chairman of the CPP and it is widely believed he is still chairman of the CPP up to now. But then, the CPP is a movement of the working class. Is Mr. Sison a member of the working class himself? I don’t think so,” Arroyo said.

The Pampanga solon added his critics, in interfering with the decision of other party-list groups, only depicted how “very arrogant and unethical” they were.

“It’s the right of the party to decide who it wants to nominate, it’s something internal to the party. It’s very arrogant and unethical for another party-list to meddle in the affairs of another,” he said. “No one, including them, has the monopoly over the representation of the marginalized sectors.”

“They are not the only ones who have the right to serve the public. What laws have they passed, in the first place? I was able to champion the passage of the Renewable Energy Act. I am silently working in the House yet I get these criticisms,” Arroyo stressed.

With regard to Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares’ statement that he (Arroyo) would not qualify as a party-list nominee as he would be violating “Section 9 of RA 7941 or the party-list law which requires that a nominee “must be a member of the party or organization he seeks to represent for at least ninety days before the election,” Arroyo said that if it would be the case, then his critics would have nothing to fear of.

“But why are they scared? If they say I am disqualified to run as party-list nominee, then it’s all over! Why do they have to raise heaven and hell?”

Arroyo was quoted in interview with the media last February 15 as saying he has not chosen from among the five party-list groups inviting him to be their nominee, prompting Colmenares to say there is no way he can meet the requirement of membership to fulfill this requirement since the 90-day period has passed.

But an insider in the Arroyo camp confided the presidential son had already accepted the invitation of the AGP as early as last year but was only a bit tentative to admit as he does not want to offend the other party-list groups which have invited him.

“Noong isang taon pa tinanggap ni Cong. Mikey ‘yung invitation ng AGP. Ayaw niya lang aminin pa, sa ngayon kasi nahihiya siya sa ibang party-list groups na nag-invite sa kanya,” the insider said. –Charlie V. Manalo, Daily Tribune