March 19, 2010

Philippines: Gabriela Bares Gov’t Plan Against Progressive Party List Groups

Published on April 20, 2007 | 4 comments

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MANILA — “There is a grand scheme to prevent our party list from winning and/or adding more seats in Congress and Malacaang’s dirty hands are behind it. This is the biggest travesty of the partylist system.”

This was the statement of Rep. Liza Maza of Gabriela Women’s Party during a press conference this morning exposing an alleged campaign plan against Gabriela, Bayan Muna, Anakpawis, Kabataan, Suara Bangsamoro and other partylists.

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4 Comments to “Philippines: Gabriela Bares Gov’t Plan Against Progressive Party List Groups”

  1. Babae para sa Kaunlaran (BABAE KA) party-list c/o Ruth Vasquez says:
    April 22, 2007 at 9:54 pm

    PRESS RELEASE
    BABAE PARA SA KAUNLARAN (BABAE KA) PARTYLIST

    Another propaganda scheme of another leftist organization
    BABAE KA CATEGORICALLY DENIES GABRIELAS ACCUSATION

    WOMEN party-list Babae para sa Kaunlaran (BABAE KA) today categorically denied that it is a stooge of Malacaang even as it challenged Gabriela party-list to file a formal complaint.

    Sally Dagami, BABAE KA chairperson, said that, For the nth time, we want the Filipino people to know that BABAE KA party-list is not a Malacaang-backed organization. BABAE KA has not requested and has not received a single centavo from the government.

    Just like Akbayans, the accusation of Gabriela is another cheap-shot by another leftist organization that is aimed to generate media projection at our expense. The document that this so-called cause-oriented have shown publicly is a fabrication. BABAE KA knows nothing about this, Dagami added.

    Dagami stressed that she has never met an Assistant Secretary Marcelo Farias of the Office of External Affairs.

    I do not know Mr. Farias. In fact, this is the first time I heard of his name, Dagami stated.

    Ruth Vasquez, BABAE KA president, said that, Mukhang isa na namang kuryente ito, to borrow medias parlance. Kinukuryente ng Gabriela ang media sa inanunsyo nila.

    The document shown by Gabriela could be written by anybody. It could be a product of the dirty-tricks department of extremist organizations. Wala kaming alam sa mga pinagsasabi nila, Vasquez explained.

    Dagami challenged Gabriela to file formal complaints against BABAE KA so that we could also file formal charges against the leaders of this group.

    Are these documents authentic? We should ask Rep. Masa where they got the alleged documents. Who gave it to them? If the said documents really exist, where are the original copies or at least certified true copies? We have the right to ask these questions and know about all these. And Rep. Masa has a lot of explaining to do, Dagami said.###

    References:

    Ruth Vasquez, 09198286402 and (02) 8827623
    1287 Bo. Visaya St., Guadalupe Nuevo, Makati City

    Sally Dagami, 09214379605, 09266971406 and 09285026487

  2. Babae para sa Kaunlaran says:
    May 1, 2007 at 11:05 pm

    BABAE KA asked COMELEC to reveal 2004 election spending of party-list groups

    BABAE PARA SA KAUNLARAN (BABAE KA) Womens Party-list on Monday, April 30, formally asked the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) to furnish the organization with certified copies of the 2004 election expenditures of Akbayan, Bayan Muna, Gabriela, Anakpawis and other organizations that are represented in the 13th Congress of the Philippines. Further, BABAE KA also requested the COMELEC to publicize the said expenses.

    As a party-list organization for women, which was mentioned by the Constitution and various laws as among the marginalized and underrepresented sectors of our society, BABAE KA seeks to verify reports that some party-list organizations have spent enormous amounts of money and logistics to boost their chances of electoral success. Included in the report is the Citizens Action Party or Akbayan, which allegedly used Php25 Million during the 2004 electoral campaign.
    This amount is staggering if not totally unthinkable especially if the real nature of the party-list system is to be truthfully considered. Such amount is more than what any aspiring congressman would spend to campaign in a congressional district. Even some Senatorial candidates for this years elections will not and could not spend such a large amount.

    BABAE KA will not and will never spend even ten percent (10%) of the aforementioned amount because it believes that a big expenditure is contrary to the principles of the party-list system. Further, it is opposed to the very principles of this organization.

    If Akbayan and for that matter other groups claiming to represent the marginalized and underprivileged sectors like Gabriela, Anakpawis and Bayan Muna could spend Php25 Million each in 2004, how much will they be spending for this years campaign. Will it be double or even triple that amount, or around Php50 million to Php75 million per organization?

    If then, the questions that must be asked of them are: Where did and where will they get that much money? Is it from the ten percent commission from projects that Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago exposed? The peoples guess is as good as ours.

    The Filipino people have the right to know. The 2004 election expenditures of these millionaire party-list groups must be made public. These party-list organizations must also make public their sources of funds and logistics, otherwise, it will be construed as commissions to projects funded by their Priority Development Assistance Funds or the pork barrel.

  3. Babae para sa Kaunlaran says:
    May 2, 2007 at 8:53 pm

    BABAE KA DEFENDS RIGHT TO BE VOTED,
    SCORES AKBAYANS SEXIST REMARKS

    April 30 is womens suffrage day. But for Babae para sa Kaunlaran (BABAE KA) womens partylist there was no cause to celebrate as the rights of women to vote and be voted upon are still being attacked.

    Several days after womens suffrage day, women will started the defense of their right to participate in the party-list system through the filing of formal comments to the disqualification case filed against us by so-called cause-oriented groups before the highest court of the land.

    This pertains to the disqualification case filed against BABAE KA on the grounds that the organization and its officers are not marginalized and underprivileged.

    BABAE KA seeks to represent the Filipino women and women as a sector is already marginalized as identified in the Philippine Constitution and Republic Act No. 7941 or the partylist law. The officers and members of BABAE KA are all women, and no one is a millionaire unlike officers and nominees of other partylist groups. Thus, we mentioned the following in the COMMENTS to the Petition:

    As clearly enumerated by the laws of the land and by the Supreme Court, the sectors include women as among the marginalized and underprivileged sectors that may register as a party, organization or coalition for purposes of the party-list system. Purportedly, BABAE KA filed its petition for registration before the deadline and was duly registered by the COMELEC as a party-list group to participate in the party-list system of election on May 14, 2007. BABAE KA underwent the process and fulfilled all the requirements set forth by the COMELEC.

    BABAE KA is an organization composed of women, 18 years and above, of varied occupations, educations, interests, ethnic origins, and religious beliefs. All the officers of BABAE KA are women. All the nominees of BABAE KA are women and officers of the organization but none are government officials or employees. All nominees are also members of the organization for more than ninety (90) days from today consistent with Section 9 of the RA 7941.

    This disqualification case against BABAE KA is an attack against womens rights by individuals and organizations with feudal outlook; a disrespect to all Filipino women who want their voices to be heard, who aspire for democracy and progress.

    BABAE KA shall also start to campaign against sexist remarks and abuses being committed by certain groups against us specifically by leaders and supporters of Akbayan. Sexist words like mababa ang lipad and scorned women could be read in the Akbayan initiated barethelist weblog (http://barethelist.wordpress.com). That is a clear assault against womens rights. It betrays the real character of Akbayan, its leaders and supporters.

    BABAE KA is now finalizing plans of filing sexual harassment and libel cases against these leaders and supporters of Akbayan.

    These insulting, sexist and degrading remarks that were allowed by the moderator of the said Akbayan initiated site betray the true anti-women character of Akbayan party and its leaders. They are chauvinist pigs that look lowly at Filipino women. Parang hindi babae ang kanilang mga ina at lola. Parang wala silang mga kamag-anak na babae.

    Kung babae ka at mahal mo ang pagkababae mo, tiyak na mababastusan ka sa mga sexist remarks sa weblog na ginawa ng Akbayan. Kung lalaki ka at mahal mo ang iyong ina at lola, kapatid na babae o anak na babae, tiyak na mababastusan ka rin sa mga sinabi sa weblog na ito ng Akbayan.

  4. janjan says:
    October 11, 2009 at 6:00 pm

    paki post lang po ng mga objectives ng GABRIELA

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