Source: abs-cbnnews.com
-- The Philippines' largest left-leaning political group is shopping around for a presidential candidate to back on May 2010.
“We aim to support the opposition to ensure the defeat of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s candidate,” Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares said in an ABS-CBN North America News Bureau interview.
Colmenares, who attended a lawyers’ convention in Seattle, visited the US capital to set up meetings with some American lawmakers. He also addressed the annual conference of the National Alliance of Filipino Concerns (NAFCON) at the United Methodist Church along Maryland Avenue over the weekend.
So what does Bayan Muna take to the table when they select their presidential candidate?
“Bayan Muna and other progressive groups got about 2.8 million votes in the last election despite the difficulties,” Colmenares explained.
But more than the votes, he said they have an army of “committed” poll-watchers who can foil cheating in the precincts.
Bayan Muna workers are likely to be young, ideologically-driven workers and students, who – during the so-called EDSA Dos uprising and recent mass actions – provided the “warm bodies” that swelled the ranks of street marchers, and they can be relied to stand their ground.
He said the group will make their choice based on criteria that include platform, track record and commitment to reforms.
He revealed they are looking at Senators Noynoy Aquino III, Chiz Escudero and Manny Villar.
“The new president should commit to genuine land reform. Second is our longstanding bill for a P125 a day across the board wage increase and P3,000 a month increase for government workers. And thirdly, on the Visiting Forces Agreement, he should have a position that this shouldn’t be allowed to continue as it is today,” Colmenares said.
He said they could support someone pushing for charter change but would have to look at the candidate's motives.
Bayan Muna senatorial aspirants
Colmenares was mum on how they plan to include the party’s three senatorial aspirants – Satur Ocampo, Liza Maza and Teddy Casiño - into the deal. He explained that after years of engagement in the House of Representatives, they need to have like-minded legislators in the other chamber of the bicameral Congress.
The move could be indication that Bayan Muna is now more confident of its growing political power.
He said they are closely watching the controversy on the poll automation source code. “We will stand pat that poll automation is the way to move forward but this has to be guarded well. People shouldn’t be lulled to complacency that there will be no more cheating in elections,” he averred.
Colmenares said they support an expansion of the party-list, but oppose the emergence of “pseudo party-list groups that do not really represent the marginalized sectors of society."
They continue to protest the seating of retired Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan as a party-list representative for Bantay, which represents security guards, barangay tanods and CAFGU militiamen.
Palparan has been accused of ordering extrajudicial killings and torture of captured leftist rebels and activists.
“So far, he’s been very quiet in Congress,” Colmenares said.
“You can’t help meeting in the hallways so we have to relate in one way or another. But we make it known that he shouldn’t have been allowed to seat in Congress,” he added.
Supreme Court ruling
The Philippine Supreme Court in a ruling paved the way for expansion of of party-list representatives from 22 (from 16 party-list groups) to 55.
The high tribunal discarded the requirement for party-list representatives to win at least two percent of the votes because it “frustrates the attainment of the permissive ceiling that 20 percent of the members of the House of Representatives shall consist of party-list representatives.”
“As you know, Congress work entails a lot of talking so it doesn’t look like that’s Palparan’s arena. There are no guns at the plenary hall so his military mind doesn’t seem to have adjusted to the legislative process yet,” Colmenares said with some amusement.
In his planned meetings with US lawakers or their staff, he said he will try to convince them that military aid to the Philippines fuel human rights abuses and will urge them to cut it off.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
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