MANILA, Oct. 11, 2012— A multisectoral poll watchdog has welcomed the disqualification of 13 registered partylist organizations including “Ako Bicol” and “Yes We Can” which are included in its omnibus complaint filed with the Commission on Elections.
Kontra Daya, composed of the clergy, teachers, IT experts and students, reminded Comelec about the other incumbent partylists that should be disqualified because the groups as well as their nominees do not represent the marginalized and underrepresented sectors.
“Comelec should outrightly disqualify partylists that are clearly not marginalized and underrepresented, such as those created by politicians and political clans, the rich and powerful,” Atty. Joven Evangelista, Counsel for Kontra Daya.
He said they filed petitions against “Bagong Henerasyon” and “Ang Kasangga” partylists, for example, because their current representatives “are rich and well-established politicians.”
“We also hope that Comelec come up with its resolution disqualifying Ang Galing Pinoy Party with finality,” Evangelista said.
The poll watchdog said Ang Kasangga’s current representative is businessman Teodorico Haresco who has P92.814 million net worth for 2011. Ang Galing Pinoy’s current representative is Mikey Arroyo, son of former president and Pampanga Rep. Gloria Arroyo.
It also said that Bagong Henerasyon is a foundation turned-partylist organization of former Quezon City Councilor Bernadette Herrera-Dy, with herself and her husband businessman Edgar Allan Dy as nominees for the 2013 elections.
“A simple reading of the economic and political standing of the partylist’s leaders and nominees and the group’s track record in representing the poor and underrepresented should be the overriding basis for Comelec to determine the group’s qualification in the partylist system,” he said.
Kontra Daya also raised the red flag for applicants that clearly do not belong nor represent the marginalized sectors, such as ALONA with Danilo Suarez Jr., son of Quezon Representative Danilo Suarez as nominee, Black and White Partylist which is “already overrepresented” in Aquino administration and “government-backed” Abang-Lingkod.
“The partylist system is being abused by traditional politicians taking away seats in Congress that should be for the poor and the powerless,” said Evangelista.
“If Comelec truly recognizes that there is a mockery of the partylist system, then it should reform it by denying all the rich, powerful and government-backed groups and nominees the chance to run under the partylist system, and accredit on the other hand those which truly represent the marginalized sectors,” he said.
Kontra Daya in its omnibus complaint asked Comelec to investigate and disqualify 52 partylist groups. [CBCPNews]
