Don’t pre-empt
Comelec’s decision on Migrante Party-list
Migrante
Party-list today said that they have every right to complain the denial of
representation of millions of Overseas Filipino Workers and their families, in
light of Comelec (Commission on Election) Chairman Jose Melo’s reactions to
their protest rally and filing of ‘verified opposition’.
When
asked by the media for his comment on Migrante’s move, Melo responded “pwede-pwede,
pero ano na yun, medyo malabo na talaga. Dahil you cannot argue against the
figures.” He was also quoted saying that Migrante is a “sore loser” and
that it should not complain to the media about its recent de-listing.
“Is
Melo pre-empting the electoral body’s final decision by already saying such
silly and out-of-the-issue statements? The Comelec has already denied us due
process by de-listing us without the benefit of any hearing or prior notice. By
acting as if the matter is already closed when in fact our legal battle is only
beginning, the Comelec is only confirming our worst fears that the decision
against Migrante is biased and politically motivated,” said Connie Bragas
Regalado, chairperson of Migrante Party-list.
The
party-list group yesterday filed a verified opposition to Comelec En Banc
Resolution 8679 last October 13, 2009 disqualifying Migrante and 25 other
party-list organizations from participating in the 2010 elections, saying that
the resolution was “clearly illegal.”
In
its opposition, Migrante said that the Comelec’s reason for de-listing Migrante
was not among the grounds enumerated under Republic Act No. 7941 or the
Party-List System Act. RA 7941 says that a party-list can have its registration
removed or cancelled if “it fails to participate in the last two (2) preceding
elections or fails to obtain at least two per cent (2%) of the votes cast under
the party-list system in the two (2) preceding elections.”
“There
is nothing in RA 7941 which states that ‘failure to get two per cent (2%) of
the votes cast in one (1) election and failure to participate in one (1)
election’ is a ground for the removal or cancellation of the registration of a
party-list,” Migrante said in its opposition.
In
the 2004 elections, Migrante failed to gain 2% of party-list votes. It
manifested its intent not to participate in the 2007 elections, choosing to
first strengthen the organization that now has chapters in 23 countries.
Migrante
pointed out further that the Comelec decision was inconsistent because
party-list organizations such as Bisa, Pinoy Overseas, and Banat were allowed
to run in 2004 even as they failed to gain 2% of party-list votes in 1998 and
failed to run in the 2001 elections.
“Several
OFW groups abroad under Migrante International have already scored Comelec’s
obviously questionable decision, and rightly so. De-listing us is tantamount to
silencing the voices of millions of overseas Filipino workers being exploited
and abused. The Arroyo government is always showcasing the achievements of the
country’s ‘new heroes.’ Yet it is using underhanded tactics to deny
marginalized sectors, such as OFWs, fair and proportional representation,”
Regalado added. ###
COMELEC
wooing electoral fraud – Migrante
"The
first automated elections in 2010 is going to be marred with electoral fraud
even before it starts if the Comelec continues to conceal budget anomalies,
make flawed decisions and disenfranchise voters of their right to
suffrage," said Connie Regalado, Chairperson of Migrante Partylist in a
protest rally in front of the Commission of Elections in Intramuros, Manila.
Migrante, a
sectoral party of OFWs, was one of those recently delisted when Comelec issued
an order to remove 26 groups in the list of registered partylists who can
participate in the 2010 elections. The organization intends to file a verified
opposition to the resolution.
Regalado
claimed that they have already raised issues of irregularities to the Comelec
since the registration for the Overseas Absentee Voting was shortened from one
year to seven months and yet the Commissioners remained mum on the matter.
"We just
found out later that the main reason for the shortening of the registration
period was due to the diversion of the OAV fund to the Department of Foreign
Affairs yet the commissioners are conspicuously concealing this from public
knowledge up to now," Regalado explained. “This is highly questionable!”
Since the OAV
started in 2004, the allocated budget for the said exercise was given to the
Comelec since, by law, the Commission was defined as the lead agency on OAV
matters. The group claimed that this is the first time the OAV budget was released
to the DFA.
"Then the
Comelec followed this with another dubious act. Rather than delisting farcical
groups headed by political dynasties and human rights violators, the Comelec
barred legitimate partylist groups to participate in the 2010 elections. Worse,
this was done by the Commission without due process," Regalado added.
According to
Migrante, they were already aware that Comelec intended to cleanse the long
list of registered partylist groups. However, they expected this was going to
be done by the poll body by picking groups that does not represent any
marginalized sectors as defined in the partylist system act.
"We are
afraid that these precedents, such as Comelec holding back information from the
public, demonstrating impartiality in favor of pseudo-partylist groups, denying
due process and the chance for legitimate sectoral representatives to
participate in elections, could lead to more irregularities and electoral fraud
as election comes nearer," Regalado explained.
To demonstrate their resolve in
participating in the upcoming elections, the protesters held a giant mobile
phone with the note “Let Migrante run, remove it from delisting...please pass
to COMELEC”. They called on all OFWs and their families to ram the phones of
the COMELEC with protest messages. ###
COMELEC urged to correct delisting of Migrante Partylist, et.al
“It is not too late for the COMELEC to reverse its earlier ruling through its
En banc Resolution 8679 delisting Migrante Partylist and 5 other partylist
groups, if they erred they should correct it immediately,” thus said today by
John Leonard Monterona, Migrante-Middle East regional coordinator and Migrante
Partylist Vice-Chairperson.
Monterona, a Saudi-based OFW, said the burden of proving that Migrante
Partylist is not qualified to run on the May 2010 Party-list elections is now
on hands of the COMELEC especially that their En banc Resolution 8679 is a
complete reversal of its 2004 rulings allowing partylist groups such as
Agrifil, Sagip-Kapwa, BISA, Pinoy Overseas Party, and Banat partylist to run in
2004 Party-list elections despite failing to get the 2 percent of total votes
cast in 1998 and failed to participate in 2001 elections which Migrante has the
same peculiar situation.
“It is sad to note that the new set of COMELEC Commissioners and even its legal
department did not do their homework well reading said previous COMELEC ruling
about the peculiar situation of Migrante Partylist and other groups which they
have delisted,” Monterona added.
Monterona opined that most of the COMELEC commissioners are lawyers who should
have knowledge about the election laws and previous ruling of the COMELEC,
“Thus, it is highly irregular for the COMELEC as an independent body composed
of well-trained lawyers to err on this particular ruling delisting Migrante
Partylist and the other 5 partylist groups,” the OFW leader added.
“We believed Migrante’s delisting by the COMELEC is an act of political
repression and persecution against the most vocal and most active anti-Arroyo
largest OFW groups –the Migrante International which member-organizations and
chapters are in full support to Migrante Partylist electoral bid for the May
2010 Partylist elections,” Monterona averred.
Monterona said the Arroyo regime has enough numbers of appointees at the
present composition of the COMELEC commissioners. “Even the COMELEC Chairman is
an Arroyo appointee that no wonder COMELEC delisted Migrante so that it could
not participate in the May 2010 Party-list elections even though there is no
legal impediment for it to seek representation in Congress,” Monterona added.
Monterona added COMELEC delisting of Migrante Partylist is not only an attack
to progressive OFWs organizations but also denying OFWs the rights to have a
genuine representation in Congress.
“OFWs and their families will not allow this to happen without giving COMELEC
and the Arroyo regime a good fight; Migrante chapters around the world vow to
intensify their protest actions in various forms like simultaneous rallies,
petition signing, press conferences, letter and text barrage, until COMELEC
will reverse its ruling and allow Migrante Partylist to participate on the May
2010 party-list elections,” Monterona ended. # # #
Migrante
Partylist, a sectoral party of OFWs, directly accused the Comelec in preventing
them from joining the partylist race in 2010.
"At least
five partylist groups which have the same situation as Migrante were allowed by
Comelec to run in previous elections. So why is Comelec now reversing itself?
We believe that the delisting of Migrante is politically motivated,"
Connie Bragas-Regalado, chairperson of Migrante Partylist claimed.
In a press
conference held in a restaurant in Quezon
City, Migrante Partylist together with election
lawyers and representatives of other progressive partylist questioned the
credibility of the Comelec and its recent en banc Resolution 8679.
"Agrifil,
Sagip-Kapwa, BISA, Pinoy Overseas Party and Banat Partylist were permitted to
run in the 2004 elections even if the said groups failed to obtain at least 2
percentum of the total votes in 1998 and failed to participate in the 2001
elections. While Migrante, which is in the same predicament, was delisted by
Comelec. This clearly shows that the Comelec's en banc resolution 8679 banning
Migrante to run in the coming election is inconsistent with its previous
decision," asserted Regalado.
The group
believes that Malacanang allegedly has a hand in the Comelec's decision since
Migrante has been a perennial headache to the Arroyo administration by
constantly citing the government’s criminal neglect in cases of trafficking,
human rights violations, abuse and exploitation of OFWs in various parts of the
world."
"We smell
a rat here and we challenge the Comelec to explain to us and to the many OFWs
who have been clamoring for MSP to run why, at this time that we are stronger
now to run for a seat, COMELEC is denying us this legitimate right!"
Regalado added.
Regalado
likewise predicted that the delisting of Migrante is just a prelude to
suppressing progressive partylist groups in favor of partylist allegedly being
backed by the Arroyo administration.
"Last
election, the Arroyo administration fielded at least 9 pseudo-partylist groups
headed by First Gentleman Mike Arroyo's sister Maria Lourdes Arroyo of Kasangga
Partylist and President Arroyo's favorite general, Jovito Palparan of Bantay
Partylist. Migrante is among those who exposed this in 2007 and we will expose
them again this coming election," warned Regalado.
Regalado
blamed Comelec for approving the registration of groups who allegedly cannot
represent marginalized sectors as stated in the Partylist System Act.
"What
a mockery Comelec has made of the law. Instead of giving credence and
encouraging real partylist groups, the Comelec has already allowed the proliferation
of farcical groups, the domination and manipulation of the ruling elite, and
the accommodation of fascist generals and politicians from dynasties as
nominees or representatives." Regalado concluded. ####
Political prosecution
drives de-listing – UNIFIL-HK
“Migrante is a thorn to the sides and a bramble in the
hands of GMA. With its staunch stance against government policies on OFWs,
Migrante has become the first progressive party-list victim of political
prosecution by this administration prior to the 2010 polls.”
This was declared today by Dolores Balladares,
chairperson of the United Filipinos in Hong Kong (UNIFIL-MIGRANTE- HK) as
members of the group held a protest action at the Philippine Consulate General
(PCG-HK) to condemn the decision of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) to
de-list Migrante Sectoral Party (MSP) in the 2010 partylist race.
“For years, Migrante has exposed the neglect of the GMA
government to OFWs in distress, failure to curb overcharging of recruitment
agencies, billion-peso scandals in the OWWA and policies that sell out the
Filipino migrants for modern-day slavery. With such a record, GMA will not
allow Migrante a fair chance to be in the Congress,” she added.
Balladares said that COMELEC en banc Resolution No. 8679
that ordered the de-listing is irregular and highly-questionable. She added
that it violates the party-list rules because of its flawed interpretation of
the law and the faulty process the COMELEC followed with the decision.
Moreover, she said that COMELEC Commissioner Melo’s appeal to Migrante before
to help in the registration is a de facto recognition of the group.
“With the absence of a legal basis, we strongly believe
that the de-listing is politically-motivated and the dirty hand of the
government is behind it. Who’s deathly afraid of Migrante and the potential
electoral influence of OFWs? Only those who have the most to lose in the 2010
polls like GMA and her camp,” she remarked.
Balladares relayed that the “disgust of OFWs against the
GMA government” has been clear for the past years. In her foreign trips, GMA
has been hounded by protest actions from OFW groups especially from Migrante
and its affiliates.
“From Hong Kong, to the United States, Japan and even in
Middle East countries, Migrante and other OFW organizations never let go of the
chance to protest against anti-people and anti-OFW moves of GMA. If Migrante is
even allowed an opening to possibly take part in law-making, there is no way
for GMA’s policies to continue and for her to go scot-free from her crimes.
Thus, GMA basks in the grave disenfranchisement of Filipino migrants first
through the pathetic efforts in the registration period and now the de-listing
of Migrante,” she said.
The COMELEC decision has been met by protests from
Migrante members and allies in different countries. In Hong Kong, UNIFIL is
soliciting the support of different organizations in a petition to have the
resolution reversed.
Last Sunday, the group gathered almost 50 organizations
for the petition letter that they will fax to member commissioners of the
COMELEC. Balladares said that they will continue to solicit the support of
other organizations “until the COMELEC makes right its disservice to Filipinos
migrants.” “Migrante should be
allowed to run. GMA and her camp shall only further earn the ire of Filipinos
abroad if this political harassment against Migrante persists,” she concluded. ###
Migrants Group Launches Cyber Protest Against COMELEC
"Let our voices be heard, allow Migrante Partylist to run in the 2010 party-list elections!"
This call in the Facebook Causes (apps.facebook.com/causes/?m=ed6ae9f3) is fast becoming the battle cry of Migrante Partylist after being delisted by the Comelec last October 13, 2009.
"The call to allow Migrante to participate in the 2010 elections is gaining ground and we intend to make the world know that OFWs are being robbed of their right to representation if the COMELEC will not hear their plea," said Connie Regalado, Chairperson of Migrante Partylist.
Migrante was among the groups cited when the Comelec issued resolution no. 8679 ordering to delete 26 partylist in the list of registered national, regional or sectoral parties, organizations or coalitions.
"Right now, OFW organizations from different countries abroad are already clogging the email addresses of the Comelec Commissioners to protest the disenfranchisement of overseas Filipinos," Regalado claimed.
The group asserted that they were denied due process since the "Comelec veered away from calling a hearing or even notifying the concerned parties before it issued the said resolution."
"Our chapters in all 23 countries have committed to hold protests in various forms to denounce the Comelec’s decision denying us the chance to be heard in the halls of congress while approving the participation of pseudo-partylists such as that of Mike Arroyo’s sister -Kasangga Partylist and Jovito Palparan’s Bantay Partylist," Regalado said. “We are likewise planning to launch an online petition.”
Already , Unifil-Migrante, the biggest chapter of Migrante in Hong Kong held a picket in front of the Philippine Consulate General at United Center Building, Admiralty, Hong Kong. The group denounced the Comelec for delisting Migrante and accused the Arroyo administration as the one behind Migrante’s exclusion.
"Our chapters in New Zealand has already sent a protest letter to Comelec Chairman Melo and officers of Migrante-Middle East have also conducted a press conference to protest the Comelec’s decision. Other OFW groups in Europe and North America also intend to protest in support of Migrante," Regalado added.
Regalado warned the Comelec that it will loose its credibility to hold an open and honest election if it will exclude legitimate representatives of the marginalized sectors as provided by law while it continuous to recognize pseudo-partylist groups.####
KASAMMAKO-Migrante Korea Statement
“The Commission on Election's en banc resolution no. 8679 issued on October 13, 2009 undermines and derogates people’s democratic rights to represent the marginalized sector of the Philippine society in the parliament. The resolution is preemptive of the influx of party list groups registering for the 2010 National Elections and by rule of thumb and without proper consultation with parties concerned de-listed several existing party list groups especially the Migrante Sectoral Party,” Pol Par, KASAMMAKO Chairperson said.
The Executive Committee of KASAMMAKO, an alliance of Filipino migrant workers organizations in South Korea headed by Pol Par believes that COMELEC’s decision to de-list or cancellation of registration of Migrante Sectoral Party and other party-list groups on the premise of failure of Party-list organizations to comply with section 6(8) of Republic Act No. 7941, that is, unable to obtain 2 percentum of the total party-list votes in 2004 and have failed to participate in the 2007 elections is a total disregard of constitutional processes.
“This provision was cited as the grounds for the removal of party-list groups that failed to participate in two preceding election or failed to obtain at least two percentum of the votes cast in the two preceding elections. The COMELEC made an obvious mistake when it removed 5 of the 26 party-list groups just because they failed to get 2 percent in one election and was not able to participate in another election. This clearly negates the qualifier in the provision wherein the instance of failure should be committed twice and in two preceding elections,” Pol Par assailed.
The Executive Committee of KASAMMAKO strongly opposes this unjust decision of the Comelec that denies a legitimate representative of a marginalized sector of our society to participate in the 2010 party-list election. The reasons for this opposition Pol Par elaborated are the following:
First, the said decision was done without due process. Section 6 of the Party-list System Act clearly states that removal or cancellation of registration of party-list groups can only be done after due notice and hearing was conducted. The COMELEC failed to notify the concerned parties nor did it conduct any hearing prior to the issuance of its resolution to delete 26 party-list groups.
Secondly, it has cited number 8 of section 6 of the Partylist System Act as the ground for delisting Migrante where it says "(8) it fails to participate in the last two elections or fails to obtain at least two percentum of the votes cast under the party-list system in the two preceding elections for the constituency in which it has registered." This provision does not apply to Migrante because it only participated in 2004 and did not participate in 2007 elections. The clause in the COMELEC provision “two preceding elections” exempts Migrante and other de-listed party-list groups of the same predicament from being automatically disqualified in 2010 elections. The said instances of failure to participate or to obtain 2 percentum should be committed twice and in two preceding elections before the concerned party-list can be de-listed.
The removal of Migrante from the bona-fide party-list group that can participate in the 2010 elections is discriminatory of the genuine marginalized groups. On the other hand, theCOMELEC has approved the more than ten Malacanang backed partylist prior to the 2007 elections. COMELEC Commissioner Abalos even tried to conceal this by refusing to reveal the nominees of the said groups. Among them were Maria Lourdes Arroyo, sister of First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, of Ang Kasangga Partylist, and General Jovito Palparan of Bantay Partylist who both were given a seat in congress after the Supreme Court decision last April. This act should be reversed. Migrante should be restored to the official list of party-list groups that will participate in 2010 elections.
MR. POL PAR, Chairperson Katipunan ng mga Samahan ng Migranteng Manggagawa sa Korea (KASAMMAKO) Seoul, South Korea Contact numbers: 82-106-8727-526 October 18, 2009
Migrante KSA, Black Friday launched
"Removing Migrante Sectoral Party (MSP) in the list
of accredited groups in the 2010 Partylist elections is a mockery of the intent behind the Party
List Law," thus declared Migrante Saudi Arabia Chairperson A. M. Ociones as the group calls
October 23 a Black Friday in protest of the recent decision of the Commission of Elections (COMELEC)
En-banc Resolution No. 8679 delisting MSP along with 25 other groups.
"By removing MSP from the list of groups accredited
to participate in the Partylist elections, COMELEC marginalized the migrants even more,"
asserts Ociones. "Definitely, this is contrary to the real intent of the Party list Law of encouraging the
participation of the un-represented and marginalized sectors of society in the democratic process
of nation-building.”
The decision dated 13 October 2009, removed MSP "for
failing to get the required two percentum (2%) of the total votes cast in the two preceding
elections" (2004 and 2007), based on the provisions of Sec 6, no. 8 of RA 7941, otherwise known as
the Partylist Law, as affirmed by COMELEC Resolution No. 2847 dated 25 June 1996.
Since MSP ran and lost in the 2004 elections but did not
participate as a candidate in the 2007 elections, Ociones asks "whether the said rules
apply to Migrante Partylist at all."
And by issuing the Resolution without any consultation
with the concerned parties, Ociones asks further whether "COMELEC based its decision on a
technicality to cover its agenda of degrading the confidence of OFW's in the country's political system
and pushing the migrants sector to the outer fringes of democratic participation."
"The OFW as a sector has been the largest
demographic group without any representation in the political arena for the longest time," Ociones
explains. "With its remittances bouying the economy afloat, OFWs however have been mostly cynical of the
current political and economic system."
According to Ociones, MSP represents the broadest ever
possible network of OFW organizations with chapters in at least 35 countries around the world
and in the 13 regions of the country. In Saudi Arabia, MSP chapters have been active in organizing
and advocating issues from the homefront and of OFW concerns in Riyadh, Jeddah, Al
Khobar, Dawadmi, Al Jouf, Jubail, Dammam, Hail and Khamis Mushayt.
"With the proven track record of Migrante in
fiscalizing the government to act in favor, and respond to the most pressing needs of OFWs, getting MSP
in the next Congress as Party-list representative is the greatest hope the Filipino migrants
can ever achieve," Ociones closed.
Black Friday
Protest
"Delisting MSP means delisting OFWs in the political
arena," Migrante Jeddah Chairperson Bob Fajarito exclaims. "Thus, every OFW is encouraged to
express their disappointment with the COMELEC decision by wearing black this Friday."
In holding the Black Friday protest, Migrante Saudi
Arabia chapters would hold various assemblies in discreet locations, send protest letters and launch a
petition asking the COMELEC to reconsider its decision.
According to Fajarito, they are also encouraging
like-minded OFWs to send protest letters to COMELEC via email. The petition and instructions on how
to send the protest letters would be available at this blog: http://migrante-ksa.blogspot.com
or at their Facebook account soon.
In a related development, Migrante chapter Kapatiran sa
Gitnang Silangan (KGS) started holding indoor assemblies in different discreet locations in
Riyadh as early as Monday (19 October) to express their disappointment over the delisting. ###
Reference/s:
Bob Fajarito
Chairperson, Migrante Jeddah
Tel No. +966 50-274-5340
A. M. Ociones
Chairperson, Migrante KSA
(Migrante International - Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Chapter)
Tel. No.: +966-56-679-3202
Email: [email protected]
URL: http://migrante-ksa.blogspot.com
Migrante Canada:
Suppression of rights of a party that
seeks to represent in the House of Representatives the millions of Filipino
migrants around the world
Migrante Canada
denounces in the strongest possible terms the decision of the Commission on
Elections [COMELEC] to delist the Migrante Sectoral Party (MSP) from the list
of registered organizations vying in next year’s party-list election. “This COMELEC
decision is unjust and anomalous,” says Marco Luciano, Migrante International
Global Council representative for Canada. “Not only is it a violation of
due process leading to the disenfranchisement of a group that has truly served
the interests of Filipino migrant workers and their families the world over. It
opens the door for the Malacanang-backed party-list groups to dominate the
coming party-list election, thus serving the ruling administration’s objective
of prolonging its rule.”
What ever happened to
due process?
In its Resolution No.
8679 issued October 13, 2009, the COMELEC en banc ordered to delete Migrante
and 25 other groups “from the list of registered national, regional or sectoral
parties, organizations or coalitions” citing Section 6, item No. 8 of the
Republic Act 7941 otherwise known as the Party-List System Act. This particular
section of the Party-List System Act allows the COMELEC to motu propio -
"on its own impulse" - remove a sectoral group or party BUT ONLY
“after due notice and hearing” if “it fails to participate in the last two (2)
preceding elections OR fails to obtain at least two percentum (2%)
of the votes cast under the party-list system in the two (2) preceding
elections.”
However, the MSP was
never guilty of such failures in two preceding elections - in 2004 and
2007.
The MSP participated
in the 2004 partylist election, but, unfortunately, failed to garner the
required 2% of the votes cast. Then the MSP did not participate in the
2007 election after formally informing the COMELEC months before the
election. The failure to gain the two percentum of votes happened only
once - in 2004 - not twice, not in two preceding elections; and the
"failure" to participate in the election happened only once - in 2007
- not twice, not in two preceding elections. It is therefore erroneous,
if not malicious, for the COMELEC to delist the MSP and other sectoral groups
on the basis of Section 6, Item 8 of RA 7941.
“Moreover, the COMELEC’s
en banc decision is tantamount to suppressing the rights of a party that
seeks nothing but to represent in the House of Representatives the millions of
Filipino migrants all over the world,” Luciano adds. The MSP announced in
September its intention to run again in the party-list election, cognizant of
“existing policies and laws that are detrimental to the interest of migrant
Filipinos and in order for Overseas Filipino Workers [OFWs] to be represented
by their own partylist.”
“Why disenfranchise
the MSP which has been in the forefront of helping many distressed OFWs and
their families since its formation in 1996?” says Luciano, noting the
courageous work of Migrante and its allied organizations in many parts of the
world.
If the COMELEC wants
to unload itself of election work next year, they should have made efforts to
get rid of many sham party-list groups, like Bantay and Kasangga, supportive of
the Macapagal-Arroyo regime while masquerading as representatives of the
marginalized sectors. Let the axe fall on these bogus groups, but not on
the Migrante Sectoral Party which truly represents the interest of the Filipino
migrants.
“We call on all
Filipino migrants around the world to condemn the COMELEC’s unjust decision,”
Jonathan Canchela, chair of the Filipino Migrant Workers’ Movement [FMWM], said
in a separate statement.
“We encourage them to
voice out their opinions against this oppressive decision delisting the MSP
from the list of qualified sectoral groups hoping to participate in the
electoral process next year. Let the dissenting voices of the Filipino
migrants be heard,” says Canchela, who also announced that FMWM and other
Migrante Canada member organizations are planning to launch consolidated
protest actions in response to this decision of the COMELEC.###
Unifil-Migrante Hong Kong
“COMELEC’s de-listing of Migrante is an ill-thought of decision that yet
again spells disenfranchisement of Filipino migrants. When will the COMELEC
stop its disdain for OFWs and start to really act favorably for OFW empowerment?”
This was declared today by Dolores Balladares, chairperson of the United
Filipinos in Hong Kong (UNIFIL-MIGRANTE-HK) as the Commission on Elections’
(COMELEC) ruling that included Migrante Sectoral Party on delisted partylist
groups drew more flak among OFW organizations around the world.
“Since the start of the overseas absentee voting (OAV) in 2004, we have
been critical of the COMELEC’s shortcomings in providing the maximum
opportunity for overseas Filipinos to vote including the mediocre drive for
registration. Now here is another move that threatens to rob OFWs of a chance
to fight for representation in the Congress,” she stated.
Balladares questioned the prudence of Migrante’s delisting considering that
during the registration period, no less than Commissioner Melo himself called
on to the group to help out in encouraging OFWs to participate in the coming
elections. Migrante’s topping of the partylist race overseas in the 2004
elections, she said, has made the COMELEC tap on the presence of Migrante and
the wide support it enjoys among the OFWs to improve participation in the OAV.
“Was that not an affirmation of Migrante’s reach among OFWs by the
COMELEC itself? Was that not an affirmation of Migrante’s capacity to run? This
makes the COMELEC decision even more irregular and questionable,” she
added
Balladares pointed out that in countries where Migrante members are present,
significant improvements were made from the initially dismal OAV registration
figures. In Hong Kong, she shared, the involvement of Migrante members and
allies in the registration campaign increased the rate from a little over 200 a
week to more than 1,000.
Additionally, Balladares said that Migrante’s delisting appears even more
insulting to OFWs considering that the COMELEC has failed to address complaints
against obviously bogus groups “that have bastardized the partylist law
and made a joke out of the essence of partylist representation of the
marginalized.”
“Why was Migrante, a group that legitimately represents a marginalized
sector, the one scrapped from running when groups such as Bantay of the butcher
Gen. Palparan or Ang Kasangga of Mike Arroyo’s sister Maria Lourdes Arroyo have
been allowed to even sit in the Congress? When have killers or the Arroyos become
part of the marginalized?” she asked.
The UNIFIL-HK chair said that, instead of gunning after Migrante, the COMELEC
should instead trim down on nuisance partylist groups and those that are
obvious fronts the Arroyo administration uses to corner seats and strengthen
its majority position in the House of Representatives.
Balladares said that they support the legal challenges posed by Migrante to the
COMELEC including the flawed interpretation of the partylist law and procedural
defects.
“The incongruence between the law and the reason expressed by COMELEC in
delisting Migrante in its en banc Resolution no. 8679 is totally unacceptable.
Migrante has every right to challenge the decision,” she remarked.
Balladares said that it is incumbent for the COMELEC to immediately respond to
the arguments of Migrante and its lawyers as “every single day that
Migrante’s electoral bid is withheld, is another day that OFWs are denied of a
chance for our own voice in the Congress.”
UNIFIL-HK relayed that they are already preparing to rally Migrante members,
allies and supporters in Hong Kong to push for the scrapping of the COMELEC
decision. Migrante topped the partylist race in Hong Kong in the 2004 elections
with more than 19,000 votes.
Balladares reported that they are already calling on groups to write to the
COMELEC to oppose the resolution. Protest actions are also planned in the
future to express their opposition to the delisting of Migrante.
“By omission and by commission, the COMELEC has disenfranchised OFWs long
enough. There is no way that we can allow such a travesty of our right to
continue,” Balladares concluded.
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