Comelec delisting Migrante from party-list groups

**explorer** · October 24th, 2009 02:40 AM

so what else is new?

from: www.inquirer.net

[SIZE="3"]Comelec urged to reconsider delisting of Migrante from party-list groups[/SIZE]

Lira Dalangin-Fernandez
INQUIRER.net
October 23, 2009

MANILA, Philippines--The left-wing coalition Makabayan on Friday urged the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) to reconsider its decision delisting Migrante Sectoral Party from party list organizations participating in the May 2010 elections, saying this would deprive millions of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) of representation in Congress.

“It is clear from its record that Migrante is a legitimate party-list organization, with the largest and broadest membership among overseas Filipinos and their families in the Philippines. It cannot be denied that to delist Migrante is to disenfranchise their constituency,” said Bayan Muna party list Representative Satur Ocampo, who is also the chairman of Makabayan, a coalition of party list organizations.

Ocampo lamented that the only party list group that stands for the concerns of the OFWs was no longer eligible to join the election.

“Thousands of overseas Filipinos are in danger of being disenfranchised by this COMELEC ruling. They who contribute so much from the economy have for so long been marginalized by the electoral system. Now, once again, they are being denied their right to representation,” he said.

In an en banc resolution dated October 13, the COMELEC barred Migrante and 25 other party list organizations from participating in the 2010 elections. Migrante, according to the poll body, participated and failed to gain seats in the two straight elections prior to the upcoming polls.

But Ocampo said that Migrante participated only in 2004 and signified their intent not to run in 2007, while maintaining the option to run in the next election.

Ocampo also questioned the inconsistencies in the COMELEC’s decision to delist. For example, he said groups like BISA, Pinoy Overseas Party and Banat were allowed to run in 2004 even as they failed to garner the required two-percent of total party-list votes to garner seats in 1998. These groups also failed to run during the 2001 elections.

According to him, groups with “dubious representation” like the Kasangga party list of Ma. Lourdes Arroyo, the sister of First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, and retired general Jovito Palparan’s Bantay party list were allowed to participate in 2007 even if these representatives do not belong to the marginalized sector, which “defames the true spirit of the Party-List System Act.”

“All these point to a political motive in the delisting of Migrante. After all, Migrante, along with the other progressive party-list organizations, have been the most vocal in criticizing government misdeeds and even exposing electoral fraud during the past elections,” Ocampo said.

**tidus1203** · October 24th, 2009 07:41 AM

Yeah its not right pero a part of me is happy. I hate these left-wing groups. Sorry medyo right-wing kasi ako eh. Conservative and pro-business, still the best path to prosperity IMO.

**CoDer** · October 24th, 2009 08:14 AM

Yehey! sa wakas!!! Bawasan nyo pa comelec.

**niky** · October 24th, 2009 09:57 AM

The stupid thing about the Party-list system is that they're supposed to represent under-represented special interest groups.

In other words... those without the voting clout to get their voices heard.

Errh... that means, then... if you want the most under-represented to be represented... shouldn't you elect the party-lists with the least votes? :hysterical:

**vito corleone** · October 27th, 2009 02:45 PM

Originally Posted by niky

The stupid thing about the Party-list system is that they're supposed to represent under-represented special interest groups.

In other words... those without the voting clout to get their voices heard.

Errh... that means, then... if you want the most under-represented to be represented... shouldn't you elect the party-lists with the least votes? :hysterical:

makes sense

**chua_riwap** · October 27th, 2009 03:03 PM

Yung Partido Sabungero, nagrireklamo rin.......

Baklas din sila.

**explorer** · October 28th, 2009 06:03 AM

Originally Posted by tidus1203

Yeah its not right pero a part of me is happy. I hate these left-wing groups. Sorry medyo right-wing kasi ako eh. Conservative and pro-business, still the best path to prosperity IMO.

i think you missed the whole point of democracy. which one do you like....these leftest groups going under and struggle with firearms or voice their thoughts through a peaceful channel like congress? all mature countries/government welcome all communist parties to join the democratic election rather than letting them fight underground and kill both civilians and people in military.

**Lucius** · October 28th, 2009 06:16 AM

Ahhhhhh just kill all the leftists

**tidus1203** · October 28th, 2009 07:10 AM

Originally Posted by Lucius

Ahhhhhh just kill all the leftists

Agree! They are just a hindrance to prosperity. All I have to say to leftists is maging capitalaists na din sila. Iwan na nila yang failure of ideology that they have kaya di sila umasenso...

**wowiesy** · October 28th, 2009 07:55 AM

Originally Posted by tidus1203

Agree! They are just a hindrance to prosperity. All I have to say to leftists is maging capitalaists na din sila. Iwan na nila yang failure of ideology that they have kaya di sila umasenso...

kapitalista din naman sila eh... they have their own capitalist ways... like fund raising activities at gunpoint... hehe... yan nga yung nagbibigay sa kanila ng advantage...

but for me, they just sit on a corner and do their thing in that corner... hindi nila sinusubukan na lumipat ng corner and see it from that perspective... mas kuntento na sila na isisi ang lahat sa gobyerno...