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Political dynasties and traditional politicians are again using the party-list system as a vehicle to gain and expand elite representation in Congress, at the expense of genuine party-list groups.
There are more than 50 party-list seats or 20 percent of the total number of congressional district representations up for grabs in the coming May 10 elections.
Presidential son and incumbent Pampanga second district Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo was reportedly being eyed to be the top nominee of the party-list group Ang Galing Pinoy (AGP), while incumbent Rep. Vigor Mendoza of the party-list group 1-United Transport Koalisyon (1-UTAK) already slide down for energy secretary Angelo Reyes to be the transport group’s first nominee.
In an interview by abs-cbnnews.com, the young Arroyo confirmed that “many party-list groups are asking me” to run.
But wait, there’s more. The Batang Iwas-Droga (BIDA), a government-sponsored project and brainchild of Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) chair Ephraim Genuino, also jumped into the party-list race.
Former Ilocos Sur Congressman Salacnib Baterina who served for three terms as representative of the province’s first district is making a comeback via the party list group Alliance of People’s Organizations (APO) as its first nominee.
The entry of powerful political parties and dynasty personalities in the party-list arena is not new. In the last 2007 elections Ret. Gen. Jovito Palparan tagged as ‘The Butcher’ by activists, and Ma. Lourdes Arroyo, sister of First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, got their seats in the Lower House as nominees of Bantay and Ang Kasangga parties, respectively.
Mockery of the marginalized
“The entry of First Gentleman Arroyo’s sister and Gen. Palparan to the House of Representatives is a mockery of the party-list system. This will surely result to the further hardening of Malacañang’s grip on the Lower House,” said party-list Rep. Rafael Mariano of Anakpawis, representing farmers’ groups.
Nacionalista Party senatorial bet Satur Ocampo said that “allowing the young Arroyo and Reyes to run for congressional seats via the party-list system makes a mockery of the same.”
“In all honesty, can Mikey Arroyo and Angelo Reyes proclaim themselves as representing the marginalized sectors? They should be immediately declared unqualified and ineligible to represent any legitimate party-list group in Congress,” said Ocampo, a three-term Bayan Muna party-list solon.
For his part, Kabataan party-list Rep. Raymond Palatino said “the Arroyos and their allies must stop mocking the partylist system” because it is against the spirit of the law which is “meant to ensure representation for marginalized sectors.”
“Nobody in their right mind will ever believe that they (Arroyo and Reyes) are marginalized,” Palatino said.
“How in heaven’s name can Mikey Arroyo be a member of association of tricycle drivers and security guards? The same question was asked when his aunt, Marilou, got to the House of Representatives representing balut vendors,” wrote journalist Ellen Tordesillas in her blog.
The party-list system was introduced in the 1987 Constitution with the purpose of giving marginalized and underrepresented sectors to obtain representation in Congress.
The partylist system
Republic Act 7941 that was enacted in March 1995 defines the party-list system as “a mechanism of proportional representation in the election of representatives to the House of Representatives from national, regional and sectoral parties or organizations or coalitions thereof registered with the Commission on Elections (COMELEC). Component parties or organizations of a coalition may participate independently provided the coalition of which they form part does not participate in the party-list system.”
But the current trouble of the party-list system which has become a vehicle of the elite was blamed by constitutionalist Fr. Joaquin Bernas to RA 7941 itself.
Bernas said that “while Sec. 6 of RA 7941 empowers the Comelec to scrutinize the qualities of the parties or organizations for purposes of qualifying or disqualifying them, no duty is imposed on the Comelec to scrutinize the qualities of the nominees. Scrutinizing them is the prerogative of voters.”
Sec. 13 of the law also states that, “Party-list representatives shall be proclaimed by the Comelec based on the list of names submitted by the respective parties, organizations, or coalitions to the Comelec according to their ranking in said list.” Although this provision of the law may appear to be democratic and give parties independence to choose their nominees, Bernas said that “the top ranking nominees can very well be self-interested persons or agents of the existing power elite.”
“For this reason, there is evidence now of elitist efforts to buy top seats in party-list nominations,” added Bernas.
Move for speakership
What is more disturbing is that the party-list bids of Mikey, Reyes, and other Palace-backed party-list groups seems to be a ploy of President Arroyo to seal her speakership bid in the coming 15th Congress according to Palace critics.
President Arroyo’s running as representative of the second district of Pampanga is widely perceived as a move to evade accountability, push for Charter change and shift to a parliamentary form of government, and, eventually, become Prime Minister.
Her most trusted Cabinet members are also running for district representative, among them, Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera, Former Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya, Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap and Presidential Management Staff Chief Hermogenes Esperon.
At present, there are four Arroyos in the 14th Congress: Mikey (2nd District of Pampanga), Dato (1st District, Camarines Sur), Iggy (5th District, Negros Occidental), and Ma. Lourdes (Ang Kasangga Partylist).
“Never mind that Mikey Arroyo has never been a public transport driver or a security guard, but it’s clear that his efforts to remain in Congress are connected to his mother's own agenda and plans to run for House Speaker if she wins the seat for Pampanga,” says Ocampo.
“It’s an outrage that they are abusing the party-list system to further their own political ambitions and schemes,” Ocampo said.
Palatino, the only youth representative in Congress, agreed: “This is clearly for the speakership. They are utilizing all means to escape accountability and to further push the charter change agenda meant to perpetuate Pres. Arroyo into power.”
Photo by Bikoy c/o Flickr. Some rights reserved.
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