Tingog.com

The Bayan Muna partylist group today denounced the Commission on Election’s deputization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, including Bantay nominee Jovito Palparan and former PNP chief Arturo Lomibao, in tomorrow’s elections in thirteen towns in Lanao del Sur.

“The AFP is heavily biased against the political opposition and progressive partylists. They cannot be trusted to ensure clean and credible elections in Lanao del Sur or anywhere else,” said House Deputy Minority Leader and Bayan Muna President Satur C. Ocampo.

“The administration has become utterly desperate to trump the opposition juggernaut in the senatorial race and to sabotage the current standing of anti-Arroyo partylist groups. Now, it is using the military to obviously influence, if not harass, the people of 13 Lanao del Sur towns to vote for President Arroyo’s pet candidates and pro-Arroyo partylists,” said Ocampo.

“Lest we forget, the AFP has vigorously spoken against the candidacy of Ltsg. Antonio Trillanes and has actively campaigned against our partylist organizations. Palparan meanwhile is desperately wanting to win as Bantay partylist representative because his group is lagging behind despite massive military support,” said Ocampo. “In the 2004 elections, the military played a similar lead role as facilitator of massive cheating, as indicated in the Hello Garci recordings and the testimonies of Gen. Francisco Gudani.”

According to Ocampo, “not only does this deputization violate the October 2006 memorandum between the Comelec and the Department of National Defense, but steps all over the Constitution.”

For Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño, numerous acts of fraud and harassment committed by soldiers in the May 14 polls point to the “zero credibility” of the AFP on the issue of its possible “lead role” in the special elections.

“In many areas, foreign observers and pollwatchers reported that soldiers were behind some of the worst cases of cheating, disenfranchisement, harassment and other acts of election terror. In Maguindanao, soldiers allegedly ordered teachers to fill up official ballots in areas where no elections were held,” said Casiño.

“In the first place, what the hell is Palparan doing in Lanao? The people there are already terrorized by warlords. They don’t need a berdugo to terrorize them some more into voting for GMA’s candidates,” he said.

Bayan Muna General Counsel Neri Javier Colmenares vowed to take up the issue when the Comelec en banc reconvenes today at the Philippine International Convention Center.

“This is the administration’s magic formula for negating the protest vote – to massively cheat in Lanao del Sur, to terrorize residents there into voting 12-0 for Team Unity and to vote for Bantay,” said Colmenares. “The Comelec should seriously reconsider its decision and instead deputize the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting and other such groups.”

The Muslim, lumad and Christian leaders in Mindanao may also be tapped for the job.

Source: bayanmuna.net