Poll watchdog files complaint vs 6 ‘bogus’ part-list groups

MANILA, Philippines – An election watchdog group on Monday began its formal battle against purportedly bogus party-list groups by filing a complaint before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) against six groups it said were government fronts and were actually headed by administration figures.

Kontra Daya tagged Batang Iwas Droga (Bida), Adhikain ng mga Dakilang Anak ng Maharlika (Adam), Agbiag Timpuyog Ilocano (Agbiag), Babae para sa Kaunlaran (Babae Ka), League of Youth for Peace and Development (Lypad), and Kalahi Advocates for Overseas Filipinos (Kalahi) as government-sponsored groups.

Kontra Daya said the inclusion of the groups with the 187 accredited party-list groups was a violation of the law establishing the party-list system, which is supposed to provide congressional representation for marginalized and under-represented sectors of society.

It asked the Comelec to investigate these organizations.

The watchdog group also asked the poll agency to check reports that Pampanga Representative Juan Miguel Arroyo, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s eldest son, and Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes may be the nominees of the party-list groups Ang Galing Pinoy and 1-United Transport Koalisyon (1-Utak), respectively.

It said that both Arroyo and Reyes should be disqualified as nominees.

“The Comelec cannot turn a blind eye to the clear pattern of abuse and distortion of the party-list system being done under the Arroyo administration. The 2010 elections will not be the first time interest groups would claim to be representing the marginalized. The lack of strict implementation of the law has allowed representatives of major political parties, influential persons, cabinet and military officials to take advantage of the party-list system,” it said.

In its complaint, it said Bida itself announced on its website that it was the brainchild of Efraim Genuino, who heads the quasi-government Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.

The Dangerous Drugs Board and Department of Education are also involved with the group, it added.

Adam, on the other hand, has for one of its nominees Energy Undersecretary Zamzamin Ampatuan, a member of the powerful Maguindanao clan but who was not involved with the massacre of 57 people some members of the family have been charged with. Ampatuan said he formed Adam as his own party-list group.

“Being himself a current government official, and one who comes from a prominent and influential clan in Maguindanao, Ampatuan and Adam’s qualifications are at the very least questionable,” Kontra Daya said.

As for Agbiag, Babae Ka, Lypad and Kalahi, Kontra Daya said these groups were named in an October 2006 memorandum from Malacañang’s Office of External Affairs as the groups to be supported in the campaign to “provide full support to several Comelec-accredited (party-list) groups that are ascertained as pro-administration and ensure the winning of nine to twelve seats in the House of Representatives.”

Kontra Daya appealed to the Comelec for action on their complaint, saying “to allow these issues to remain unresolved is to be an accomplice to a brazen bastardization of the party-list system.”

Sought for comment, Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal said that while the Comelec would accept the complaint, he noted that when the party-list organizations applied for accreditation earlier, the poll body held a public hearing where anyone could contest the applications.

Larrazabal said the accredited party-list groups went through a “rigorous process of verification.”

“There is an opportunity for people to oppose the accreditation of these party list organizations. If, after the party list organizations have been accredited and they don’t want these organizations to win a seat, all they have to do is [not to] vote for them,” he said. –Leila Salaverria, Philippine Daily Inquirer