Today’s View: Mocking the electorate

Allowing a system that singles out those who criticize the government for its ineptitude and anti-people policies, only reveals the blackhole of impunity, a mockery of the right to suffrage and a joke against the whole electoral system.

By BEVERLY ANN S. MUSNI, YR.
Davao Today

In a barefaced display of tyranny and oppression, the Aquino administration is out to show its death grip in the iron throne of power. Under the “matuwid na daan” mantra, this government has assembled a massive army of fools out to crush those who are the true representatives of the masses.

In a bid to narrow down the choices for this upcoming circus of an election and favoring those who are the administration’s pets, the administration’s adjutant, the Commission on Elections (Comelec), is out to disqualify Piston and Kabataan Party-lists.

Piston and Kabataan represent the marginalized and underrepresented sectors of drivers and the youth. They are vocal critics of the Aquino administration; and for being so, they are now under fire, exposing further the lies and manipulations of the current dispensation.

A pattern of injustice is formed in disqualifying these party-lists. Last year alone, Kalikasan and Courage — party-lists representing environment advocates and government employees, respectively — have been cast aside by the Supreme Court deeming them unfit to run in the elections. There was also a grave threat against Bayan Muna, Gabriela Women’s Party and AnakPawis, three of the strongest party-lists in the progressive block, which have been vigilantly addressing issues of corruption, environmental degradation, poverty, militarization, migrant and OFW and economic issues, to name a few; issues of reality which are directly and undeniably connected to the basic masses.

It is infuriating to address this kind of issue as to what we know to be a blatant and demeaning face of traditional politics. Where Aquino have always paraded himself as a morally upright man, his puritan image runs very contrary to his repressive acts in favoring party-lists which are clearly under his control.

According to Section 1 of RA 7941 or the Party-list Law, “the State shall promote proportional representation xxx through a party-list system xxx which will enable Filipino citizens belonging to marginalized and under-represented sectors, organizations and parties, and who lack well-defined political constituencies xxx, to become members of the House of Representatives. Towards this end, the State shall develop and guarantee a full, free and open party-list system in order to attain the broadest possible representation of party, sectoral or group interests in the House of Representatives by enhancing their chances to compete for and win seats in the legislature xxx.”

It is clearly stated that the representation through these seats belong to the marginalized sectors of the society, and should be respected above all else. A mere disqualification issue based on postering rules is but an iota of stupidity and an act of shallowness compared to the issues of poverty, youth, education and corruption which have constantly been fought for and addressed by Piston and Kabataan.

Does the Comelec even know what a marginalized and underrepresented sector means? Do they even have a system of checking and categorizing these party-lists whether they have really used or misused their pork barrel? Do they even know what a sector even means?

I can’t help but doubt the Comelec’s competence. Because its act of allowing Mikey Arroyo in representing the security guards in a party-list truly makes the Comelec a laughing stock.

Hey, what about the party-lists which are supported by the Aquino administration like Akbayan? Are Aquino’s supporters considered marginalized, too? What about the bogus party-lists in Mindanao whose funding has never even reached the communities and far-flung areas of the island? Are they considered true representatives of Mindanaoans? I don’t think so.

In targeting the youth and the drivers, the former being one of the prime movers of our nation and the latter who belongs to the large composition of the poor, the Comelec clearly shows its true deathly-pale yellow color. It is a pro-administration office which has a blurry and distorted judgment of what is manipulatively right and morally wrong. It is a puppet whose master is an elitist haciendero whose interest is never for the welfare of the people and the country.

The Comelec should better clean up its act. Their arrogance and utter display of partiality clearly make them a lapdog of the Aquino administration.

In a game where power corrupts absolutely, there is no such thing as a ‘matuwid na daan’ as what Aquino has constantly been parading around throughout his stint as President. In repressing the true voice of the masses, he is now becoming one whom his father, the late Ninoy Aquino, has hated and fought against, a tyrant. And he will go down in history as such if he will continue to silence the champions of the masses.

Election is coming. The games of mockery and oppression have already begun; and the banners of Aquino are leading the way to harassment, despotism and injustice. Now pick your teams and good luck!

Beverly Ann S. Musni, Yr. is a free spirit. She is a wanderlust, a dreamer and a frustrated rock star who dreams of travelling the world one day. She is a world peace advocate.