EDITORIAL

COMELEC To Examine NP–NPC

Coalition Legitimacy

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has taken cognizance of the Liberal Party’s opposition to the bogus coalition between the Nacionalista Party (NP) and the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC).

The Comelec en banc had agreed to look into the LP’s assertion that the NP-NPC alliance was a "coalition in afterthought" formed merely to subvert the Liberals’ application to be named as the dominant minority party in the May 10 national and local elections.

In setting a hearing on the LP petition on Tuesday (March 9), the Comelec temporarily set aside the issue of which political party should be accredited as the dominant minority party, a status being contested by both the LP and the NP.

"This is a success for the people’s fight for truth, for reforms, and for good governance. The Liberal Party will never waver in its commitment to stick to the rule of law," LP Director General Chito Gascon said as he reiterated confidence on the Comelec’s integrity and competence.

Gascon insisted the NP and its allies in the NPC twisted existing rules in its attempt to outwit the Comelec into approving their fake alliance, noting how leaders of both parties suitably included the petition for registration of the NP-NPC Coalition in its petition for accreditation for the dominant minority status.

He pointed out the two parties’ leaders and lawyers knew very well that their belated idea of coalescing would no longer be entertained by the Comelec if it was filed independently since the deadline for the registration of political parties and coalitions had already lapsed in August last year.

Also, he noted reports quoting Pangasinan Rep. Mark Cojuangco that the merger was never approved by his father, businessman and NPC founder Eduardo "Danding’ Cojuangco, and other party members and that NPC Chairman Faustino Dy inked the coalition agreement with NP unilaterally.

He likewise cited how NP and NPC leaders failed to address the conflicting candidacies of their members in the local levels – clear proof that the phony alliance was done haphazardly and without consultation with party members. NP and NPC members are up against each other in 15 congressional seats, five (5) gubernatorial and 8 vice-gubernatorial posts and 78 mayoralty posts.

　He cited as example the congressional seat in the 5th District of Iloilo province, where incumbent Vice Gov. Rolex T. Suplico of the NP will be pitted against NPC’s Raul S. Alba. The situation is the same in Davao del Sur, where incumbent Rep. Marc Douglas Cagas (NP) and Erwin Llanos (NPC) will slug it out for the province’s 1st congressional district.

Roxas Shocks NP

　NP spokesman and senatorial bet Adel Tamano shot back at LP vice-presidential bet Mar Roxas for mocking NP standard-bearer Manny Villar’s orange campaign color by maliciously associating it with the Cebu dancing inmates.

While Tamano was not dismayed by Roxas’ swipe, he was "shocked at how Roxas, can carelessly pass judgment on people."

During LP’s political rally in Cebu, Roxas was quoted as saying: "The number of dancing inmates will rise. Anyway, they are like the guy in orange, and so all the wrongdoers should stay together. All the wrongdoers and the crooked, we will put inside the provincial jail."

In reaction, Tamano said inmates are still Filipinos and have some rights that must be respected and protected.

"The law cites that people are innocent until proven guilty. Most inmates are still awaiting trial and as such cannot be loosely called criminals, wrongdoers or crooked," he said.

"Even convicted criminals do not deserve to be dragged into this political mudslinging that our rivals seem to have elevated into an art and focal point of their campaign and platform," added Tamano.

The Comelec reported that at least 23,657 detainees are eligible to vote in 414 facilities of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology. This represents 43 percent of the total 54,866-detainee population. /MP