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.
“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.
RSS Feed