After a review by its First and Second Divisions to eliminate
dubious groups organized by politicians and influential families,
the Commission on Elections (Comelec) disqualified last week 17
organizations that sought to be accredited to participate in next
year's party list elections. The organizations deemed not qualified
for not meeting the standards for Party List groups set forth by the
Constitution and the Party List Act are the following: Addicts and
Alcoholics Carrying the Message Association, the Asosasyon ng
Mangangalakal (Askal), United Philippine Transport Tricycle,
Trisikad, Habal-Habal Operators and Drivers Association, 1-Aangat Ka
Pinoy, Isa Akong Magsasaka Foundation, Aksyon Mahirap, Aniban ng
Magtutubig ng Pilipinas, Aurora Integrated Multi-Purpose
Cooperative, Ang Nagkakaisang Alay sa Bayan ng Maka-Diyos at
Makabayang Nangangalakal, Sararong Bicolnon, Ako at ang Basura
Movement, Alliance for Democracy and Morality-Bantay Pasahero,
National Crusaders for Peace and Democracy, Mindanao Allied Forces,
Vendors Aggrupation, Philippine Banana Pioneer Foundation Inc. and
Bangon Mangingisda.
There were 289 groups that originally sought accreditation, 165 of
which are new, according to the Comelec. According to Comelec
chairperson Sixto Brillantes, Jr., they are aware that many of the
groups were organized by wealthy and powerful people who handpicked
nominees who were former government officials of members of
political clans. The Comelec recently passed a resolution
authorizing a review of the party list groups, to disqualify those
not representing marginalized and underrepresented sectors as set
forth by law, namely: labor, peasant, fisherfolk, urban poor,
indigenous cultural communities, elderly, handicapped, women, youth,
veterans, overseas workers, and professionals.
To help cleanse the list of party list hopefuls, election watchdog
Kontra Daya has compiled a database of dubious party list
organizations and submitted it to the Comelec, and which the Comelec
uses as one of its guides in reviewing the eligibility of the
applicants. Kontra Daya's list includes Ang Kasangga Party-list,
whose representative, the watchdog says, is the owner of several
businesses and is one of the richest in the House of
Representatives. Another group, Ang Mata'y Alagaan (AMA), which
claims to represent blind people and those affected with all kinds
of eye diseases and disorders, have Supreme Court Associate Justice
Presbitero Velasco's wife and daughter as nominees. In August,
several petitioners wrote the Comelec asking for the
disqualification of winning Party-List group Citizens' Battle
Against Corruption (Cibac), claiming that all their four nominees
for the 2013 polls are either personally connected to former
presidential candidate / televangelist Eddie Villanueva, or are
members of Villanueva's Jesus Is Lord Movement. Villanueva's son
Emmanuel Joel Villanueva is now Secretary of TESDA (Technical
Education and Skills Authority) and recently abandoned his plan to
run for the Senate in 2013.
Apart from Kontra Daya's database and the nominees, the Comelec said
they also look at track record, history, membership, and source of
organization funding to determine the eligibility of the party list
applicants. For groups that have sitting nominees in the House of
Representatives, the Comelec also check their projects, the bills
that they authored and how they spent their pork barrel.
The disqualified groups may appeal their rejection, according to the
Comelec. The Comelec targets the second week of October for the
release of the list of qualified party list groups after review and
deliberations.
(Sources: PDI and Rappler)
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