PRESS STATEMENT OF THE MAGDALO GROUP

Marso Café and Restaurant – October 30, 2009

With due respect to the Second Division of the Honorable Commission on Elections, ang Grupong Magdalo ay naniniwala na ang RESOLUSYON na inilabas nila kamakailan lamang patungkol sa aming petition for accreditation bilang partido politikal ay HINDI PATAS, WALA SA AYOS, at PUNO NG BUTAS dahil sa mga sumusunod na dahilan:

1. Ang RESOLUSYON ay base sa espekulasyon lamang, at nakatuon sa mga MOTIBO raw ng mga tagapagtatag ng grupong MAGDALO PARA SA PAGBABAGO (“Magdalo”). Ang RESOLUSYON ay hindi po base sa ebidensiya but on pure conjecture and presuppositions;

2. The RESOLUTION preempts the Court trying the case, kung saan ngayon ay nililitis pa po sa Makati Regional Trial Court, Branch 148. The RESOLUTION unfairly jumped at the conclusion that the founders of the Magdalo “employed violence” and “use unlawful means” and “in the process defied the laws of organized society” during the Oakwood Incident samantalang ang Korte mismong naglilitis sa kaso ay HINDI PA PO NAGLALABAS NG DESISYON patungkol dito.

3. Because of this, the RESOLUTION violated our Constitutional right to the presumption of innocence, lalung-lalong na ng mga tagapagtatag, and the right of the Magdalo to due process of law.

4. The RESOLUTION also cites documents which were never presented as evidence during our petition hearing and which are not part of the records of the case [i.e., the supposed records of the court martial hearing referred to in Letter (c) of the observations of the ponente as appearing on Pages 5 & 6 of the RESOLUTION].

5. The RESOLUTION also assumes facts NA HINDI BASE SA EBIDENSIYA. Its conclusions regarding the Oakwood Incident have no basis on record SA ANUMANG KORTE at sa katunayan ay HITIK PO SA PAGKAKAMALI. A case in point are the claims in the RESOLUTION that “several innocent civilian personnel were held hostage” and the Magdalo group used “violence” which are completely false and utterly baseless.

6. The RESOLUTION was not based on a determination of whether or not the MAGDALO met all of the requirements for accreditation as a Political Party – AND WE HAVE MET THE REQUIREMENTS po — but apparently, the RESOLUTION is based on the personal bias and prejudice of the ponente.

These bring to light other issues:

1. Fundamental fairness of the COMELEC

DAHIL PO SA RESOLUSYON na ito, it brings to the fore the issue of the fundamental fairness of the COMELEC. Mawalang-galang na po sa mga makakaliwang-grupo, but why is it that left-leaning groups, even those identified with the NPA, have been accredited by the COMELEC and have in fact been allowed to participate in the National, Local and Party-List elections while the Magdalo, which is composed of former officers and enlisted personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and now even civilians, are denied the same opportunity? Does the COMELEC have a bias against former members of the AFP? O dapat po bang maging retirado ka munang heneral ng AFP na kahit nabansagan kang berdugo pero dahil ka-alyado ng administrasyon ay papaboran ka?

2. Faulty Logic of the Reason Cited for the Denial

The view expressed by the RESOLUTION is also myopic and short-sighted. The logic is also defective. If the desire of Magdalo is to merely “recruit and indoctrinate disciplined followers who may become their blind followers”, we would not go to the trouble of filing a petition for accreditation with the COMELEC. We could very well have achieved this purpose by forming even an informal group or a secret or clandestine organization at patagong mag-recruit ng mga miyembro, at kung ano pa.

The fact that the Magdalo have decided to form a group and apply for accreditation as a political party signifies the group’s desire and firm resolve to continue its advocacy for reforms through legitimate and lawful means, particularly by participating in the electoral process.

In fact, it is in the best interest of the country for COMELEC to encourage the Magdalo group to join the mainstream of Filipino society and allow it to participate in the democratic process, especially in elections, by approving its application for accreditation as a political party sa halip na I-ISOLATE KAMI at ITULAK KAMI SA FRINGES sa pagbasura n gaming petisyon.

Steps Moving Forward

Because of the issues na kababanggit ko po lamang, amin pong i-aapila sa Kagalang-galang na COMELEC en banc, lalo na kay Chairman Jose Melo, within the period prescribed by the rules PARA PO MAANYAYAHAN ang Commission on Elections to reconsider, at kung maari, rebisahin ang RESOLUSYON po na ito.

Maraming salamat po.

By Gerard Naval

Malaya; 28 Oct 2009

THE Commission on Elections yesterday denied the bid of Magdalo Para sa Pagbabago (Magdalo) for accreditation as a regional political party based in the National Capital Region.

“The Magdalo Party remains unrepentant and they still harbor the propensity to engage in another illegal adventure similar to the failed 2003 Oakwood Mutiny, should they fail to achieve their goal – this time with the use of the political party that they are now applying for accreditation and which may very well be used by them to recruit and indoctrinate disciplined followers who may become their blind followers,” the Comelec Second Division said a six-page decision set to be promulgated by the Comelec secretariat.

The Second Division said its findings contradict the group’s claim that “the party does not advocate the use of force or violence or other unlawful means to achieve its goals.”

It noted the testimony of former Air Force 1Lt. Ashley Acedillo, the party’s secretary general and spokesman, during the September 3 hearing that the Oakwood incident was not illegal.

Some 300 junior officers and men calling themselves the Magdalo group staged the mutiny in July 2003 to protest what they said was rampant graft and corruption in the military and the government as a whole.

Acedillo said they have not received a copy of the decision but it did not come as a surprise.

“As much as we were hopeful, since we complied with the substantial requirements of Comelec, we were also expecting the decision to be unfavorable to us. We recognize that adverse political forces are at play here,” he said.

Acedillo said his group will file a motion for reconsideration.

The Second Division invoked the Omnibus Election Code denying accreditation to any political party which seeks to achieve its goal through violence.

It also noted that the party’s chairman, detained Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, were among the officers who did not plead guilty before a Makati court hearing their coup case.

Trillanes was among the six core leaders of the Magdalo during the mutiny.

Last Sunday, the group endorsed the presidential bid of Sen. Francis Escudero as well as the senatorial candidacy of former Scout Ranger chief Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim and Marines Col. Ariel Querubin.

Lim and Querubin, a Medal of Valor awardee, are among 28 officers facing court martial for an alleged plot to overthrow the Arroyo government in February 2006.

The group also endorsed the candidacies of four others participated in the mutiny, including Acedillo who is running for congressman at Cebu City’s second district.

The three others are Navy Lt. (s.g.) James Layug, for the second district of Taguig City; Army Capt. Dante Langkit, for the lone district of Kalinga province; and Marines Capt. Gary Alejano, for mayor of Sipalay City in Negros Occidental. – With Ashzel Hachero

Party Resolution Nr. 09-001

A RESOLUTION ENDORSING CANDIDATES FOR THE SENATE, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND CITY MAYOR IN THE UPCOMING MAY 2010 ELECTIONS

Promulgation: 25 October 2009

WHEREAS, THE MAGDALO PARTY is a socio-political movement for change and good governance, representing reformist officers and soldiers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and other reform-minded citizen-volunteers of the Republic of the Philippines;

Whereas, in coming to this decision it reaffirms its vision for the country and its stated mission and principles;

Whereas, the Magdalo Code of Conduct states that each and every member should participate in democratic elections, and that this participation involves not only the act of voting but also in supporting progressive-minded and reform-oriented candidates chosen by it;

Whereas, first and foremost, such candidate should be intrinsically good as a person as a guarantee of the purity of intent in all his/her actions/policies;

Whereas, these candidates should have a clear vision coupled with the corresponding program of government to realize that vision – coupled with the leadership skills and competence to accomplish what he/she has set out to do.

Whereas, the entire membership of the Magdalo is duly-represented herein in this first-ever National Convention, and as such is speaking with one solid voice to formalize such support and this Resolution;

Whereas, while observing democratic processes and observing organizational discipline, we have, more importantly, expressed profound hope for genuine national development through our support of political leaders that embody this hope for change;

The Magdalo Party HEREBY RESOLVES, as it is RESOLVED, together with its entire membership and its network of supporting individuals and organizations, to endorse the candidacies of:

o Brigadier General Danilo Lim, for SENATOR;

o Colonel Ariel O. Querubin, for SENATOR;

o Former Navy Lieutenant Senior Grade James Layug, for CONGRESSMAN of the 2^nd district of Taguig City;

o Former Marine Captain Gary Alejano, for MAYOR of Sipalay City in Negros Occidental;

o Army Captain Dante Langkit, for GOVERNOR of Kalinga province; and

o Former Air Force 1Lt. Francisco Ashley L. Acedillo, for CONGRESSMAN of the 1^st district of Cebu City;

Be it FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be furnished to all Magdalo chapters throughout the country and that it be widely-disseminated to the public.

This Resolution shall take effect on the 25^th day of October, in the year of our Lord, Two Thousand and Nine.

For widest dissemination.

SO ORDERED.

SENATOR ANTONIO F. TRILLANES IV

CHAIRMAN