MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / Mar. 15, 2013) – A Filipino youth group called Anakbayan has strongly criticized the Commission on Elections for allegedly persecuting sectoral party-lists Kabataan and Piston, which are both vocal critics of the Aquino government.
Anakbayan national chairperson Vencer Crisostomo said the poll body is singling out progressive parties while ignoring on complaints against administration-backed candidates and political parties for the May mid-term elections.
Crisostomo’s group has recently held a rally outside the office of the poll body in Manila to protest what it called was a harassment of the progressive party-lists.
“Despite their compliance with Comelec notices and guidelines, the Comelec continues to vilify and harass them,” he said, adding, “it would be height of absurdity if Comelec disqualified Kabataan and Piston and yet allow participation of Malacanang-backed Akbayan and other party-lists of the rich and powerful.”
He also said many complaints of illegal campaign materials were also reported against Malacanang-backed Akbayan party-list, but it seems “Comelec is turning a blind eye when it comes to Palace allies.”
“This proves that this is not really about the posters and campaign materials. They are out to persecute staunch anti-administration parties,” Crisostomo said in a statement to the Mindanao Examiner.
Unlike Kabataan and Piston, there have been no reported case filed by Comelec against Akbayan. For the past weeks, the Comelec statements have focused on the two groups.
Crisostomo also assailed Comelec’s failure to stop President Benigno Aquino’s distribution of PhilHealth cards during sorties of the Liberal Party and use of government funds for campaign.
“The Comelec is turning out to be a campaign arm of the Team PNoy. It is persistently and exclusively campaigning against opposition parties while defending the president, administration parties and candidates,” he said.
He also criticized Comelec for waging “negative campaigning” against the two party-lists.
“Do they realize that they are in fact being a partisan body by waging a negative campaign against certain groups? The fair and prudent thing to do is not to mention the parties while their cases are still beng heard. The motive is really to put the parties in bad light,” he said.
Crisostomo suspects Comelec is also using the campaign against the party-lists to cover up its failures with regard to the Automated Elections System.
“The Comelec should address the various concerns re the integrity of the software, source codes and automated cheating. It seems it is blowing up petty issues to cover up for these bigger issues,” he said.
Crisostomo said bigger protest actions will be held if the Comelec persists on their “persecution” and “harassment” of progressive partylists.
“Unlike the parties they are covering-up for, Kabataan and Piston have the support of the people. They will not allow the Comelec to further stifle participation of genuine peoples’ organizations,” he said.
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