Isang Bagsak for our people's victory...
here is the latest regarding the progressive party lists' victory:
Left-wing party-lists claim victory, urge vigilance vs fraud
INQUIRER.net
Last updated 02:03pm (Mla time) 05/17/2007
MANILA, Philippines -- Five left-wing party-list groups declared their victory on Thursday but urged their supporters to continue guarding against poll fraud, especially the padding or shaving of votes.
In a joint statement, Bayan Muna (People First), Anakpawis (Toiling Masses), Gabriela, Suara Bangsamoro (Voice of the Moro People) and Kabataan (Youth) thanked voters “for giving us a fresh mandate,” noting that “we are set to win back the six seats we previously won in 2004.”
In 2004, Bayan Muna got three House seats, Anakpawis two and Gabriela one, making it the most represented bloc of the Philippine Left in government.
This time, the five groups said there were “strong chances” they could increase the number of seats for Anakpawis and Gabriela, and even win a seat each for Suara Bangsamoro and Kabataan.
They said they “owe our victory to those who rejected the government's illegal campaign against us,” referring to allegations the military had been urging people not to vote for them.
The party-list groups are regularly labeled by the government and military as “legal fronts” of the communist rebel movement. Over the past years, they have also lost scores of members to extrajudicial killings and forced disappearances.
Despite this, they said, “In Payatas, Quezon City, where scores of soldiers harassed our members for months prior to the elections, Bayan Muna emerged as the top choice,” the groups said.
Addressing President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Armed Forces chief of staff General Hermogenes Esperon Jr., they said: “The people have spoken. Through their votes for our parties, they rejected your diabolical plot against progressive party-list groups.”
However, they also said fraud has continued to mar the canvassing of votes, aside from the 156 cases of fraud recorded by the groups’ Task Force Poll Watch.
Among the places where they said cases of “dagdag bawas” (vote padding, vote shaving) and other cases of poll fraud were recorded were in San Luis, Pampanga; Guinobatan and Legazpi City in Albay; Malabang and Tungawan, Lanao del Sur; and Marawi City.
They also said opposition and party-list poll watchers were barred from canvassing centers in Taguig, Quezon City, Manila, Sorsogon, Batangas, La Union and Cotabato.
“These are just some of the reports,” the groups said. “These must be exposed and rectified. One vote cheated is one too many.”
They also took government to task for describing the elections as “peaceful and orderly” when “120 violent incidents and numerous acts of fraud, irregularities and disenfranchisement” had been recorded.
The statement was signed by Representatives Satur Ocampo and Teodoro Casiño of Bayan Muna, Representative Liza Maza of Gabriela, Sammy Malunes of Anakpaws, Shamroud Abdulaziz of Suara Bangsamoro and Raymond Palatino of Kabataan.
Left-wing party-lists claim victory, urge vigilance vs fraud
INQUIRER.net
Last updated 02:03pm (Mla time) 05/17/2007
MANILA, Philippines -- Five left-wing party-list groups declared their victory on Thursday but urged their supporters to continue guarding against poll fraud, especially the padding or shaving of votes.
In a joint statement, Bayan Muna (People First), Anakpawis (Toiling Masses), Gabriela, Suara Bangsamoro (Voice of the Moro People) and Kabataan (Youth) thanked voters “for giving us a fresh mandate,” noting that “we are set to win back the six seats we previously won in 2004.”
In 2004, Bayan Muna got three House seats, Anakpawis two and Gabriela one, making it the most represented bloc of the Philippine Left in government.
This time, the five groups said there were “strong chances” they could increase the number of seats for Anakpawis and Gabriela, and even win a seat each for Suara Bangsamoro and Kabataan.
They said they “owe our victory to those who rejected the government's illegal campaign against us,” referring to allegations the military had been urging people not to vote for them.
The party-list groups are regularly labeled by the government and military as “legal fronts” of the communist rebel movement. Over the past years, they have also lost scores of members to extrajudicial killings and forced disappearances.
Despite this, they said, “In Payatas, Quezon City, where scores of soldiers harassed our members for months prior to the elections, Bayan Muna emerged as the top choice,” the groups said.
Addressing President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Armed Forces chief of staff General Hermogenes Esperon Jr., they said: “The people have spoken. Through their votes for our parties, they rejected your diabolical plot against progressive party-list groups.”
However, they also said fraud has continued to mar the canvassing of votes, aside from the 156 cases of fraud recorded by the groups’ Task Force Poll Watch.
Among the places where they said cases of “dagdag bawas” (vote padding, vote shaving) and other cases of poll fraud were recorded were in San Luis, Pampanga; Guinobatan and Legazpi City in Albay; Malabang and Tungawan, Lanao del Sur; and Marawi City.
They also said opposition and party-list poll watchers were barred from canvassing centers in Taguig, Quezon City, Manila, Sorsogon, Batangas, La Union and Cotabato.
“These are just some of the reports,” the groups said. “These must be exposed and rectified. One vote cheated is one too many.”
They also took government to task for describing the elections as “peaceful and orderly” when “120 violent incidents and numerous acts of fraud, irregularities and disenfranchisement” had been recorded.
The statement was signed by Representatives Satur Ocampo and Teodoro Casiño of Bayan Muna, Representative Liza Maza of Gabriela, Sammy Malunes of Anakpaws, Shamroud Abdulaziz of Suara Bangsamoro and Raymond Palatino of Kabataan.