The Daily Tribune
03/28/2010

The cat was let out of the bag yesterday after a total of 185 party-list groups submitted to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday their list of nominees for the May 10 polls showing a long list of allies of President Arroyo.

Cause-oriented groups Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) and Kontra Daya said the nominees list submitted by party-list groups showed that the party-list system is being abused by the politically and economically influential.

“From the initial list of nominees, we can certainly say that the party-list system is being routinely abused by politicians, big business interests, high-ranking military officials and Arroyo allies. Comelec is partly to blame because it has allowed the party-list system to be taken advantage of over the years,” Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes Jr. said.

Among the nominees were Pampanga Rep. Mikey Arroyo, son of President Arroyo, and recently resigned Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes who was nominated by transport group 1 Utak.

Anak party-list has former Police Senior Supt. Eduardo Octaviano Jr. and infamous “euro-general” Eliseo de la Paz as the first two nominees.

APO party-list has Maj. Gen. Melchor Rosales the administrator of the Office of Civil Defense and current official of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

Araro’s nominee is former PNP Regional 3 head Chief Supt. Quirino de la Torre. Many have pointed out the irony that it was during his stint as police chief that the Hacienda Luisita massacre happened. National Security adviser Chavit Singson’s brother, Jose Singson Jr., is also running as the second nominee of 1st Kabagis party-list.

Others perceived to be in alliance with Arroyo are Pacyaw nominees Tourism Assistant Secretary Janet Lazatin and businessman Reynaldo Pineda, who are both from Pampanga. APO party-list’s first nominee former Ilocos Rep. Salacnib Baterina, Abono party-list’s Robert Raymund Estrella and Franciso Ortega III, Aangat Tayo’s Rep. Daryl Grace Abayon

who is the wife of Rep. Harlin Castillo Abayon (Lakas) of Northern Samar.

Ang Kasangga’s first nominee is businessman Teodorico Haresco who was involved in Arroyo’s Bridges Program, a sustained infrastructure and fast-track rural development project spanning over 14 years.

The Association of Labor and Employees (ALE) has Pampanga provincial board member, businesswoman and known Arroyo ally Catalina Bagasina as its first nominee.

Party-list group KABAYAN has former Executive Undersecretary Ron Salo as first nominee. Salo was also with the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office before moving to the Office of the Executive Secretary.

“Arroyo’s influence over the House of Representatives will come not just from the congressional districts but also from the partylist seats that her allies are trying to secure. The party-list system is another flank by which Arroyo would try to gain control of the House,” Reyes said.

Bayan said that it would be difficult to disqualify nominees because under the Comelec guidelines, questions on the qualification of nominees can only be filed five days after the March 26 deadline. The Comelec also requires a P5,000 filing fee for every nominee that a petitioner seeks to disqualify.

“So if you want to disqualify all 5 of Ang Galing Pinoy’s questionable nominees, you have to spend some P25,000 in fees. This is ridiculous. Why charge petitioners so much when the whole mess is the fault of the Comelec? Watchdog groups are trying to help yet they will have to pass through the eye of a needle before they could succeed in disqualifying nominees,” Reyes said.

The party-list groups that the Comelec accredited were Cibac, A Teacher, Pacyaw, Aba Ilonggo, Buklod Filipina, APO, Alagad, Butil, APEC, 1 Utak, Biyayang Bukid, SB, Bago, AANI, Bandila, Ang PDR, VFP, Agham, AFPSEGCO, AnakPawis, Bantay, Cocofed, AKSI, Gabriela, Senior Citizens, Abono, AKMA-PTM, FIL-MUS, 1Ganap, Kalinga, AMA, Anad, IVAP, AnaKalusugan, Kasapi, Atong Paglaum, Abakada, Buhay, Katribu, ATM, Kabataan, AGAP, ABA, AMS, AG. AME, CONSLA, LPGMA, 1-AK, AT, ABP-Bicolnon, ARCAPP, AS, AGBIAG, FIRM 24-K, Agila, AGRI, Bukid, Diwa, Green Force, Amang, YES We Can, ATS, Awat, Aama, UNI-MAD, PM (Manggagawa), SAGIP, FFW, AMIN, Abroad, Lypad, Abang Lingkod Inc., ALNA, Ang Kasangga, ALIM, SABOD, ALUM, AKI, ALMA, Akbayan, COFA, Ahon, BIDA, Aral and Anak.

The list nominees also included retired police Gen. Romeo Maganto for Sagip party; and Ma. Evangelina Palparan, wife of Rep. Jovito Palparan, for Bantay.

The prominent Ampatuan clan in Maguindanao also has a nominee in the person of former Energy Undersecretary Zamsamin Ampatuan for the party Anak.

Bayan also noticed nominees belonging to the same family running in one or two partylist groups.

“We have seen a husband and wife running under one partylist group or different partylist groups. We have a father and son running under one partylist group. Perhaps some vested interests see the party-list system as a means of concentrating political power in the hands of a few. It would be tragic if they will use the partylist system to plant the seeds of a political dynasty of sorts,” Reyes said.

Party-list group Batang Iwas Droga (BIDA) has Sheryl Genuino-See as its first nominee. Her husband, Gerwyn See is the first nominee of partylist group Abot Tanaw.

BIDA was earlier assailed by watchdog Kontra Daya for being ineligible for partylist accreditation because it is a government funded and initiated entity.

In its website, BIDA says it is the brainchild of Pagcor chairman Efraim Genuino. BIDA’s first nominee is the daughter of Genuino. Sheryl See was also a previous nominee of Bigkis Pinoy, a partylist also affiliated with Pagcor’s Genuino.

Kontra Daya is preparing to file a disqualification case against BIDA for violating the guidelines set by the Supreme Court in its ruling in Bagong Bayani vs Comelec that expressly prohibits government-funded entities from becoming party-list groups.

BIDA’s accreditation, despite being a government project, was done by the Comelec Second Division of Nicodemo Ferrer.

Bagong Henerasyon (BH) party-list has husband and wife as its first two nominees. Former Quezon City Councilor Bernadette Herrara-Dy and her husband businessman Edgar Allan Dy are the first two nominees.

Buhay party-list has father and son Mariano Velarde Jr. and evangelist Bro. Mike Velarde as the first and fifth nominees respectively. Anad party-list has Pastor Alcover Jr. and Pastor Alcover II as the first and third nominees, respectively.

The Alliance of Bicolnon Party has father and son tandem of architects Enrique Olonan and Henry Steve Olonan. Abroad party-list lists as its first two nominees Danilo Magsino Dy, Angela Dy.

“While there may be nothing in the law which prohibits members of the same family from being nominees of the same party-list group, it does seem strange that a system claiming to distribute power to the powerless ends up concentrating power the hands of a few,” Reyes said.

Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo expressed disgust on the nominees’ list.

Pabillo who also heads the Episcopal Commission on Social Action, Justice and Peace of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines said the party-list system was provided for in the 1987 Constitution to make marginalized sectors representation at the House of Representatives and guarantee their participation in lawmaking.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, meanwhile said he is in favor of a thorough review of the Party-List Law to make it truly representative of the interests of the marginalized and underrepresented sectors.

“I fully support the party-list system. It is a fine-tuning of the system of representation in a democratic set-up. But the intent of the Constitution to give marginalized sectors adequate representation in law-making may have been gravely compromised by loopholes in the enabling law,” Enrile said.

Enrile was reacting to the call made by some groups for the Comelec to disqualify party-list groups believed to be supported by Malacañang and traditional politicians.

“Watchdog groups should not just raise a howl over what they claim to be bogus party-list groups. They should gather enough evidence to substantiate their allegations and initiate disqualification proceedings with the Comelec against those who they believe do not really represent marginalized groups,” Enrile said.

Enrile observed that some party-list groups are apparently not up to the task of protecting the interests of their constituents.

“In the case of the power sector, there is a party-list group representing electric cooperatives, but it looks like they have been too busy with other concerns instead of working to bring down high power rates,” Enrile said.

The Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) also called on the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to focus on doing its job of conducting peaceful, orderly and credible national elections in May 2010 instead of shamelessly lawyering for the Arroyo family.

“How can we possibly have successful automated elections in May when our Comelec officials are so busy exploring every trick in the book to ensure that the party-list system favors yet another Arroyo in Congress?” questioned Ralph Calinisan, PMP spokesman.

“We want to see the Comelec addressing our concerns over glitches in the automation, and conducting more intensive voter education drives all over the country, which is as it should be,” he added.

Of late, Calinisan noted that the Comelec appears bent on allowing the young Arroyo more leeway in squeezing through as the nominee of the party-list group Ang Galing Pinoy, which reportedly represents the interests of tricycle drivers and security guards. Jason Faustino

MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang yesterday assured the public there would be no failure of elections this May but warned of a possible military takeover in the ensuing chaos arising from such an event.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Charito Planas said President Arroyo is definitely stepping down on June 30 and arrangements were already laid out for a peaceful turnover to the next chief executive.

Planas made the statement amid talks of a possible failure of the country’s first nationwide automated elections allegedly being orchestrated by the administration to prolong Mrs. Arroyo’s stay in power, starting with the appointment of her trusted generals to top posts in the military.

Planas noted that Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile issued a similar warning of a possible military junta taking over in the event of political turmoil arising from a failure to install a new president by June 30.

“It’s possible that the military would take over. That’s possible as military juntas have taken over in several countries in Southeast Asia,” Planas told a news briefing.

When asked whether the President is prepared to remain in office while waiting for the new president to be proclaimed, Planas said: “Let’s look at the Constitution.”

“It’s not the President who will say: ‘I want to remain here.’ It’s the situation and the Constitution that will dictate what will happen,” Planas said but did not elaborate.

Planas, however, stressed the possibility of a failure of elections occurring is extremely remote.

She said the public should not confuse delays or failures in the transmission or canvassing of voting results as failure of elections.

Once the votes are cast, the elections have successfully occurred, Planas said.

Even in past elections where votes were counted manually, Planas said the declaration of failure of elections was only limited to certain areas or polling precincts.

Presidential spokesman Ricardo Saludo, for his part, said there has never been a general declaration of a failure of elections in the country’s political history.

“Even with the manual counting of votes. Now there will be automated counting in most precincts, with no more than 30 percent manual count in a worst case scenario, Hence, there is nil chance of failure,” Saludo said, citing the argument of election lawyer Romulo Macalintal.

Even in the face of ceaseless arguments that the May 10 elections is likely to fail, Saludo assured this would not happen.

“Our elections have never failed. Neither will the 2010 polls, even if all our votes are counted by hand,” Saludo said.

Malacañang earlier called on the public to support the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to ensure the successful holding of peaceful and honest polls on May 10.

Critics had warned the power crisis in Mindanao is only the dry run of the plan to stage a failure of elections.

The opposition Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) of former President Joseph Estrada said Malacañang is exerting all efforts to allow Mrs. Arroyo to stay in power.

“And now that its end is near, the whole country is witnessing how this administration appears to be using every trick in the book to extend its hold on power even when our people are clearly eager to replace it through the ballot,” PMP spokesman Ralph Calinisan said.

Opposition Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez said Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Delfin Bangit would be forced to retain Mrs. Arroyo in power if a failure of election is declared on May 10 where no president and vice president are proclaimed.

Rodriguez said no one among her constitutional successors could serve as head of state since the terms of Vice President Noli de Castro, Senate President Enrile and Speaker Prospero Nograles will all lapse on June 30 along with Mrs. Arroyo.

For his part, Bangit said he would not go beyond his oath of providing security in case a failure of election occurs in May.

Bangit also appealed to critics to spare the military from political intrigues.

“I already made my statement. I won’t repeat it anymore. I have my oath and it will be to protect and to support the Constitution, nothing more, nothing less…I will not go beyond my oath,” he said.

AFP spokesman Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner, Jr. said the military has no intention of taking over the government in the event that no president is proclaimed or to lengthen President Arroyo’s stay in power.

“Our mandate is to provide security. In case there is a failure of elections, our mandate is very clear. We will come in to maintain peace and order. That’s all,” Brawner said.

Brawner said the AFP would only come in to help the Philippine National Police (PNP) restore order if a failure of elections is declared.

Brawner said such intervention by the military would ensure the constitutional provisions on succession would be upheld. – With Alexis Romero, Jose Rodel Clapano

Everyone has been focused on the election trail, and while we’re not looking, the government is fast tracking the selling of valuable government assets.

The issues surrounding the selling of the Food Terminals in Taguig and the real estate owned by government in Fujimi, Japan have already come out in the open. But still outside of the public glare is the ongoing negotiation to sell the 10 percent share of the government in the Malampaya oil field.

If Malacanang manages to arm twist the Philippine National Oil Company-Exploration Corporation (PNOC-EC) board to sign the deed of sale – and it seems they are trying their darnedest to pull this through — the billions of fresh funds from the sale will immediately prop up the sagging coffers of this administration. But the Filipino people and Philippine government will lose forever significant and potentially higher annual revenues from the resource in the next 20 years.

Gas from Malampaya fuels the 2,700 megawatt power plant in Batangas. So far, Malampaya is the biggest oil and gas producing field in the country. It is estimated to contain 3 trillion cubic feet of gas and 40 million barrels of recoverable oil reserves. However, there are indications that it has much more in store not only in the Malampaya structure, but also in the nearby prospects that Shell and the Service Contract 38 joint venture have identified and will be drilling soon.

The government plans to sell Malampaya for about US$300 million or P14 billion. In 2008, the PNOC-EC earned P3.08 billion, most of which came from Malampaya earnings. At this rate, and assuming steady gas prices and volume of sales, it can easily raise the $300 million in six years without having to sell the goose that lays the golden egg.

In fact, the Malampaya consortium has already fully recovered its initial $4.5 billion investment. It started operation only in 2001.

Obviously, disposing of the asset now will immediately strip the government, starting with the next administration, of a sustained and significant revenue source.

Without the Malampaya asset, the PNOC-EC’s net worth would be decimated. It won’t have the capacity to invest in other exploration projects.

The government plan is to eventually sell 60 percent of the PNOC-EC. But without the Malampaya goose, it won’t fetch much. If it sells PNOC-EC with its Malampaya share intact, it can fetch a much higher value for the same share. So why is the government so keen to sell the shares now?

This is the not the first time, the GMA administration tried to sell the participating interest of the PNOC-EC in Malampaya. In 2005, it approved the sale of half of Its participating share to the Korean LG company. But several people in government managed to block the planned sale. With only three months to go before a new administration takes over, high-ranking government officials are once more working fast to swing a deal asap.

Speculations as to motives are naturally rife when a government-brokered deal is evidently unwise from a business investment point of view and fraudulent from a governance perspective. Some surmise the funds will be diverted to private pockets, or electioneering. Others think the administration wants to exit without the shameful legacy of a huge budget deficit. That’s why they badly need the green bucks-transfusion. Still others cannot help think of even more sinister plots in the offing, such as the eventual privatization of the much devalued PNOC-EC at bargain prices to a favored investment group.

The president has promised a smooth transition to the next administration. And while we have yet to see through this promise, we have before us very high-ranking government officials hell-bent on using their terminal powers to squeeze the most benefit for themselves.

The president has been filling up all appointive positions with people whom we will have to suffer even after she has stepped down. It seems she will appoint the chief justice of the Supreme Court during the election ban period even at the cost of a constitutional showdown. It is pathetic that an incoming AFP chief’s inaugural speech is a plea for trust, given how little there is on both the appointer and appointee.

And now, we have this impending sell-out of a prime revenue-generating government asset for one more short-term and self-serving gain.

E-mail: mcf178@yahoo.com