17 November 2009 PRESS RELEASE Reference: Connie Bragas-Regalado, Chairperson Ailyn Abdula, Media Officer
Comelec, repressing the rights of marginalized sectors - Migrante
With four days left before the start of the period of filing of manifestations of intent to participate in the 2010 party-list elections, a sectoral party of overseas Filipinos and their families has castigated the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) for its “conscious effort to marginalize the already marginalized sectors in our society.”
“There seems to be a conscious and orchestrated effort from the ruling regime - through the COMELEC - to deny genuine organizations such as Migrante Sectoral Party (MSP), their right for representation in Congress,” said Connie Bragas-Regalado, MSP Chairperson.
Regalado noted that the COMELEC appears to be more concerned in keeping the 2010 ballot as short as possible rather than its duty to empower marginalized sectors through the Partylist law. “One need only read their unfounded, downright illegal and outrageous resolutions lately to realize how the COMELEC is so bent on turning away as many organizations as it can for the 2010 elections. And, quite unsurprisingly, those who are highly critical of the regime such as Migrante was the first ones to get the boot from the COMELEC,” she said.
Recently, the COMELEC has removed Migrante from the list of qualified contenders for the 2010 partylist elections. The move from the poll body was widely criticized by Migrante as well as various OFW groups worldwide saying that the COMELEC denied the group their day in court. “The gravity of this COMELEC decision delisting Migrante can not be over emphasized,” said Regalado.
“Not only did the COMELEC denied Migrante its right to due process; it has, in essence, deprived the over ten million overseas Filipinos and their families of their much deserved right to genuine sectoral representation,” she said.
Regalado said her group is gearing up to challenge the COMELEC ruling by elevating their case to the Supreme Court. Protest actions against Migrante’s deletion are also heating up inside and outside the country.
Just last week, the COMELEC stirred up a hornets nest for throwing out the petition for accreditation of gay group, Ang Ladlad Partylist. Citing verses from the Bible and the Koran, the COMELEC said Ang Ladlad’s “petition must fail” because the group is allegedly “advocating immoral doctrines” and in order to “protect the youth from moral and spiritual degradation.”
The COMELEC also denied Samahang Magdalo’s petition for accreditation as Political Party saying that their leaders and members remain “unrepentant" and still “harbor the propensity to engage in another illegal adventure" similar to the so-called Oakwood mutiny.###
OFW group urges COMELEC to act promptly on Migrante Partylist petition against its delistment
Migrante-Middle East, an alliance of various overseas Filipino workers’ organizations based in the Middle East, today is urging the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) to act promptly on the formal opposition filed by Migrante Partylist against its resolution delisting Migrante as registered sectoral party of OFWs and their families.
“We are urging the COMELEC to act promptly on the formal opposition filed by Migrante Sectoral Party on 26 October 2009 praying that it be reinstated in the registered list of qualified sectoral parties and thereby participate in the May 2010 Party-list election,” said John Leonard Monterona, Migrante regional coordinator in the Middle East.
On October 13, 2009, the COMELEC promulgated En banc Reso. No. 8679 which delisted Migrante Sectoral Party among other 25 groups in the official registered list of qualified partylist groups citing Sec.6 (8) of Republic Act 7941 or otherwise know as the Partylist System Act.
However, Migrante Partylist contested that it could not be delisted as there is no ground to disqualify it and which case does not fall under Sec.6, paragraph (8) of RA 7941. Monterona cited the Implementing Rules and Regulations promulgated by the COMELEC En banc on 7 November 2000 through Resolution No.3307 where Sec.6 (8) is not among the grounds cited for the removal or cancellation of registration. Monterona said assuming the COMELEC committed lapses for non-inclusion of Sec.6 (8) of RA 7941 on its Resolution No.3307 (IRR of RA 7941) however, there were several partylist groups allowed to participate in the May 2001 elections even though 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 for the constituency in which it has registered.
“Migrante Sectoral Party should be re-instated or re-enlisted as soon as possible as none of the gounds for disqualification applies to it,” the OFW leader asserted.
“Above all, the basic right of due process as guaranteed to any person or entity enshrined in the democratic processes of Philippine institutions dictate that no one would be strip off its right without prior notice and hearing its side, which the COMELEC failed to respect and abide performing quasi-judicial function -such is the delistment of Migrante and other partylist groups,” Monterona averred.
Monterona said the COMELEC has committed injustice to OFWs and their families by not observing due process on its delistment of Migrante, now delaying to act on Migrante’s formal opposition and petition filed on 26 October 2009 would be another act of injustice.
Monterona observed as many have been questioning the integrity of the COMELEC to hold an honest, orderly, and peaceful elctions in the coming May 2010 elections, it may still redeem its tainted integrity by doing the right thing and decisions like re-enlisting Migrante in the list of qualified and registered partylist groups and allowing it to participate in the May 2010 elections.
“Otherwise, OFWs and their families would come to believed that the supposed independent Constitutional commission (COMELEC) is being used too by the Arroyo regime to continuously persecute groups critical to it including the Migrante Sectoral Party,” Monterona averred.
“To Honorable Commissioners of the COMELEC: allow Migrante as a legitimate sectoral organization of OFWs and their families to participate in what we believed to be a democratic exercise like the Party-list elections so that they would have genuine representation in Congress,” Monterona ended. # # #
MSP Disenfranchisement in 2010 Elections Violation against Migrant Rights! Statement by Migrante Alberta
We in Migrante Alberta Chapter in Canada are denouncing the anti-people strategy of the Macapagal-Arroyo government to de-list Migrante Sectoral Party (MSP) in the 2010 national elections. This is a blatant violation of the rights of millions of sacrificing overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) whose remittances have kept the same inutile government afloat.
There are over 10 million OFWs worldwide, and increasing. Most of them face inhumane treatment in their destination countries daily. Yet, Philippine officials in these countries play deaf to their miserable plights. Even in the home front, families and dependents of OFWs are facing the same difficulties in claiming benefits due them.
Truth is, millions of OFWs are already disenfranchised due to inaccessibility of Philippine posts in host countries where they need to be personally present before they could register. Despite this, Philippine officials do not exert effort to resolve this problem in their respective posts or even back home. Instead of sincere registration of OFWs-for-deployment as absentee voters while they are still processing their papers back home, Philippine officials only think of how they could exact more and more fees from the already indebted Filipinos.
In the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) data as of Sept. 9, it has reported only 600,469 overseas absentee voters. Despite this, the registration period for overseas absentee voters was shortened from one year to seven months. Worse, Migrante International learned that this was due to the diversion of the OAV funds to the DFA which the commissioners conspicuously conceal from public knowledge.
And to complete its anti-migrant, anti-people scheme, the Commission on Elections delisted Migrante Sectoral Party from participating party list groups in the 2010 elections.
We have been robbed of jobs, money, and families. Many of us have lost limbs and lives. We will not allow the corrupt, inutile and murderer Macapagal-Arroyo government to silence us!
It is high time that the lifeblood of the Philippine government be genuinely represented in the Congress.
Since this puppet and parasitic Macapagal –Arroyo regime.. is cheating us using our own blood and money; is selling us like commodities; is neglecting us from the very start...
WE will speak for ourselves! Allow Migrante Sectoral Party to run in 2010 elections!
Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and their families today held a protest action in front of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office in Intramuros, Manila, to demand that the electoral body immediately release its decision on Migrante Party-list’s petition to remove its name from party-lists disqualified to run in the 2010 elections.
“The Comelec must not keep more than 10 million OFWs waiting. It has now said that it will print and release 100,000 ballots for its voter’s education campaign. We deserve to know: is our name in these ballots?” demanded Connie Bragas-Regalado, chairperson of Migrante Party-list.
Denied of due process before the Comelec En Banc released its resolution to de-list Migrante last October 13, the party-list group said that the electoral body should hold a hearing in order to prove that the de-listing was not “politically motivated.”
“Everyday, Comelec’s silence on the issue angers OFWs all over the world, who has kept sending e-mails and text messages to assert their right to representation. They deserve a chance to be heard, as well as an explanation as to why they have been denied due process for so long,” said Bragas-Regalado.
The protesters hung a giant “Respect Due Process! Respect Migrant Representation!” streamer at Comelec’s gate, to pressure the commissioners to act on its verified opposition, submitted last October 26.
They also insisted that the commissioners, who are meeting in En Banc, face them and directly answer their long-standing questions, “what are their solid grounds for de-listing and why are they not following due process?”
Yesterday, Migrante Party-list held its national convention where its chapters from Metro Manila and several regions resolved to continue the fight for representation and for the rights and welfare of migrant workers and their families.
Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero also expressed solidarity with the group. “Hindi tamang itinutulak papalayo ang sinumang grupo. Dapat hilahing papasok sa larangan ng pakikibaka patungkol sa ating demokrasya sa pamamagitan ng balota,” (No group should be pushed away, but should be encouraged to engage in the struggle for democracy through the ballot) he said in a video message.
Elected as Migrante Party-list’s first three nominees were Bragas-Regalado, Emmanuel Villanueva (secretary general, United Filipinos in Hong Kong), and John Leonard Monterona (coordinator, Migrante International-Middle East), all current or former OFWs.
“Our gathering is a political message: We are worth more than the dollars we send home. We are worth being listened to,” said Bragas-Regalado. ###
Migrants and Families from all over the world and nation make a pact pushing for representation in Congress
Migrants and families from various regions of the world and nation assembled today in a National Convention and made a pact in winning the battle for OFW representation through the Migrante Sectoral Party.
“We are gathered here today to further consolidate our ranks, which is spread all over the world, for a war in assertion of our right to representation. From here we will rock Comelec’s core and hound them in wherever presence they have in the world. We will make sure that in 2010, the Migrants will finally have a voice in Congress,” said Connie Bragas-Regalado, chairperson of Migrante Sectoral Party.
The MSP is one the party-lists that were de-listed by the Comelec through En Banc Resolution No., 8679 made last month. Comelec asserts that Migrante was not able to follow the provision of According to Bragas-Regalado, Migrante’s cause is also being supported by politicians vying for the 2010 elections. One of them is presidential aspirant Senator Chiz Escudero.
Escudero through a video message said, “kaisa ninyo ako’t nasa likod ninyo ako . . . sa landas na sabay sabay nating tatahakin tungo sa pakikilahok at pagkakaroon ng representasyon ng Migrante sa Kongreso.”
Escudero also gave his own critique to the Comelec’s decision when he said “hindi tamang itinutulak papalayo ang sinumang grupo. Dapat hilahing papasok sa larangan ng pakikibaka patungkol sa ating demokrasya sa pamamagitan ng balota.”
Bragas-Regalado reacted to Escudero’s statement by saying “sa ginagawang panggigipit ng Comelec lalo lang nitong pinapatunayan na magiging batbat ng katiwalian ang 2010 elections. But Comelec has still time to prove its worth. Show us that you have respect for due process and migrant representation. Lift the de-listing on Migrante.”
To illustrate their worldwide “war”, members of Migrante Sectoral Party staged a human formation of a world map and its call “Let Migrante Run!”
The group will also troop to Comelec tomorrow in time for an En Banc meeting of the Commissioners. They hope that their Verified Opposition will be acted on favourably. ###
Around 150 women from an Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) community in Bagong Barrio, Caloocan City today held a protest jog against the Arroyo government’s continuing refusal to give migrants a chance for representation under the party-list system.
Carrying streamers that read, “Let Migrante Run,” former female OFWs and wives and mothers of OFWs held an early morning protest jog to symbolize their protest against the Commission on Elections’ de-listing of Migrante Party-list from the 2010 elections.
From the Brgy. 150 covered court, the women ran two kilometers and broke through a finish line designed with paper masks of Comelec commissioners and President Arroyo.
“This run symbolizes how OFWs will not be stopped by a malicious move by the government to further marginalize us. We who have toiled abroad and whose husbands and children work like slaves under foreign employers have fought long and hard for our rights and welfare. We refuse to simply stand by and allow this attack on our organized effort to gain a much needed and much deserved voice in Congress,” said Gina Gaborni, deputy secretary general of Migrante International.
Migrante Party-list has a pending opposition to the Comelec’s En Banc Resolution last October 13, 2009 disqualifying Migrante and 25 other party-list organizations, saying that it was in violation of the Party-list System Act and “politically motivated” in order to silence party-lists critical of the administration.
Last week, it launched an electronic barrage through text and e-mail in order to pressure Comelec commissioners to remove Migrante’s de-listing. It was participated by OFW communities worldwide.
The protest jog in Caloocan City is the first in a series of migrants’ protest actions scheduled this week, which will culminate in a rally in front of the Comelec on November 12.
“We are just warming up in our protest. We vow to see this struggle to the finish line, which is the day when we are finally given the chance to be truly represented and heard, not just shamelessly used by the government for the remittances that we and our families send home,” said Gaborni.###
Migrante Sectoral Party today expressed support for the Commission on Elections Resolution 8691 requiring party-lists running in the 2010 elections to bare their nominees in order to ensure that they represent marginalized sectors.
“It is just correct that partylists bare their nominees so that party-list organizations backed by the administration, which ran in the last elections, be exposed to the public as fraud and bereft of marginalized constituencies,” said Connie Bragas-Regalado, chairperson of Migrante Sectoral Party.
Bragas-Regalado was referring to the party-lists Kasangga ang Bantay, whose representatives are Lourdes Arroyo, President Arroyo’s sister-in-law, and notorious human rights violator Gen. Jovito Palparan, respectively.
At the same time, the group challenged Comelec to bare as well the process that the electoral body undertook to come up with an earlier resolution to de-list Migrante, along with 25 other party-lists.
“Since we are on the issue of transparency, the Comelec should also reveal the proceedings of the En Banc meeting where it decided to de-list Migrante and other party-lists. We demand this because no hearing was held before they issued the questionable resolution, in violation of the Party-list System Act,” Bragas-Regalado further said.
Migrante Party-list is protesting what it calls the Comelec’s “intentional misreading” of the Party-list System Act in order to prevent party-lists critical of the administration from joining the electoral race.
“If the Comelec wants to ensure that the party-list system is used for the truly marginalized, it should review the basis of Migrante’s de-listing. It is unfathomable for it to deny millions of Overseas Filipino Workers a chance for representation while giving the same chance to fraudulent party-list groups,” said Bragas-Regalado.
OFWs from Migrante Sectoral Party’s 23 chapters abroad, as well as their families here, yesterday launched an international e-mail and text barrage to urge Comelec commissioners to “Let Migrante Run” in the 2010 elections. As the start of the period for filing manifestations for intent to run approaches, the group vowed to intensify the campaign for OFW representation and against Migrante’s de-listing. ###
Association of Filipinos in Victoria PO BOX 606 Laverton Victoria, Australia 3028 Phone: 1300 3666 74 Email:[email protected] Website:www.migrante.org.au Press Statement 01 November 2009
Migrante Sectoral Party (MSP) Disqualification Oppresses 8 Million Overseas Filipinos
Migrante Melbourne’s letter to the Philippine Commission on Elections (Comelec) protests the disqualification of Migrante Sectoral Party from participating in the 2010 election. Copies of the letter were also sent to the Philippine President Arroyo, Philippine ambassador to Australia and to the Philippine consulate in Melbourne.
MSP is the best hope of Filipinos living and working overseas to truly represent them, raise and legislate their issues in Congress. Overseas Filipinos and their dependent families represent more than ten percent of the total population of the Philippines. They are the most reliable, consistent and largest contributor to the Philippine economy; yet they are among the most marginalized members of Philippine society whose rights are often unprotected abroad. There is not a single day that we do not hear a Filipino worker abroad in distress. Calls to the Philippine government by various organizations and advocates to attend to the plight of Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) often remain inadequately addressed.
Migrante International and its member organizations around the world attend and address the issues of Overseas Filipino workers regularly. Migrante International and the Migrante Sectoral Party represent the genuine interest and concerns of Overseas Filipinos, workers and their families. Despite tremendous obstacles posed their way, [such as residency (of at least six months in the Philippines) requirements, citizenship proof, lack of information on electoral procedures, availability and accessibility of polling places], Filipinos living and working abroad who were allowed to vote in 2004 delivered .8 percent of party-list votes to the Migrante Sectoral Party.
Many overseas Filipinos were unable to vote in 2004 election due to these stringent conditions. The Party List System Act states that a Party List can be delisted if it did not garner at least 2% votes in the last two succeeding elections or if it did not participate in the last two succeeding elections. It also states that prior to the issuance of resolutions removing a party form the registry of sectoral party list, this party is notified and a hearing is conducted. None of these prerequisites was met in removing Migrante Sectoral Party from the registration and preventing it to participate in the 2010 election. Migrante Melbourne, a member organization of Migrante International, sees this as another attempt by the Arroyo government to disenfranchise the more than 10% of marginalized Filipinos. This is also a manifestation of the government’s aim to continue ignoring the appalling conditions of many OFW’s and only maintain them as unsung heroes and milking cows filling government coffers and keeping the Philippine economy afloat.
If Comelec wants to abide by the Act and remain true to the spirit ofthe Party List System it should delist Bantay of Jovito Palparan, ANAD of Jun Alcover and Kasangga of Ma. Lourdes Arroyo. These parties are in no way representing any marginalized sector of Philippine society. If the Comelec is faithful to the objective of the Party List System which is giving representation of the marginalized Filipinos in the Congress then it will rectify its mistakes and restore the listing of Migrante Sectoral Party which advocates on behalf of more than eight million Overseas Filipinos. Migrante Melbourne is joining the hundreds of groups and organizations and thousands of Filipinos in protesting this grave injustice to Overseas Filipinos.
We ask for fairness and enjoin all peace loving and Filipinos here in Australia and our supporters to make their opposition to the Comelec’s action be known by sending protest letters to the Comelec and to Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Let your voices be heard. ###
Reference: George Kotsakis Chairperson Migrante Melbourne
LET OUR PARTY RUN IN 2010! NO TO DELISTING MIGRANTE SECTORAL PARTY!
THIS IS ANOTHER SHOWCASE OF THE GOVERNMENT’S SYSTEM’S FAILURE, INJUSTICE, AND REPRESSION OF THE VOICE OF THE MARGINALIZED SECTOR OF MIGRANTS.
OUR REMITTANCE IS TANTAMOUNT TO SAVING THE COUNTRY IN PAYING ITS HUGE EXTERNAL DEBTS! ONE SEAT IS FOR THE MIGRANTS SECTOR!
We, MIGRANTE JAPAN, oppose and protest such repressive decision of the Comelec, which deliberately negates due process to Migrante International, a party list that is a significant, marginalized sector of society. The 10 million migrants all over the world comprise a significant number that necessitates representation in the house. One cannot undermine that we, migrants contribute nearly 15 billion dollars in 2008, or 10% of the Gross National product.
We, migrants also contribute immensely to the victims of recent typhoon Ondoy, and Parma, which took the lives of more than 800 people. Disasters of this magnitude call for a greater unified response from our compatriots abroad. And we, migrants took action into our hands despite our knowledge that the government is, to a great extent, to blame for the enormous damage due to human-created failures in our infrastructures, social and welfare systems, and chronic political system altogether.
What would happen to victims whose lives are still not in place because there is insufficient social protection that encompasses natural tragedies, made more tragic by our government’s system failure? We, the 10 million migrants abroad are ready-resource of relief, support, dollar remittance, human capital to help rebuild our nation, to create the change we need.
The two percent threshold is unconstitutional as declared by the high tribunal, under Article VI, Section 5 of the Constitution, which reserves 20% of the seats in the House for the sectoral representatives. We, Migrante Japan, call on the Comelec to revise the provisions in the Republic Act 7941, and reduce the percentage threshold of winning votes as qualifier. We join the 10 million Filipino migrants around the world in a unified protest against the RA 7941.
We have sacrificed so much for our families and have saved the stumbling Philippine economy from collapse could not even vote for our representative of our choice. Before, we were victimized through disenfranchisements and many were not given the right to vote because of very limited registration procedures. Now, we were delisted! WE DEMAND TO HAVE A “VOICE” IN THE HOUSE!
MIGRANTE JAPAN 1 November 2009 Nestor L. Puno E-mail: [email protected] Mobile: 81-90-9224-0922
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