DAVAO CITY, Philippines – The Davao City chapter of Bayan Muna party-list warns the public of a reported distribution of fake money and Bayan Muna cards in some areas of the city.
According to Bayan Muna Davao City coordinator Abdul Sissay, a concerned citizen informed them that a person claiming to be a member of the party-list is distributing fake P1,000 bills in Barangay Tibungco, along with a card and paper slips bearing Bayan Muna’s logo and a picture of its national chairperson Atty. Neri Colmenares.
The group said it is possible that the distribution of fake money and organization cards is happening in other areas in Davao City and other provinces in Southern Mindanao.
“Bayan Muna Partylist-Davao would like to clarify that we do not own the said fake money bills, and we are not distributing any form of dole-out in Davao communities. Furthermore, we are not charging fees or dues from anyone who wishes to seek Bayan Muna’s assistance in any way,” said Sissay.
Sissay pointed out that Bayan Muna does not have a history of vote buying or engagement in traditional politics of handing dole-outs to win votes.
Bayan Muna Davao suspects this is “one of the many forms of attack” against the organization in an effort to malign them and even disqualify them in the next election.
Bayan Muna has constantly topped party-list elections since its entry in 2001. As part of the Makabayan bloc in Congress, it has filed various bills such as agrarian reform, increase of workers’ minimum wage and workers’ SSS pension, no mining zone, and scrapping of value-added tax in electricity, oil and water utilities.
The group did not earn a seat in last year’s elections due to massive black propaganda, red-tagging, and harassment of its members by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).
Colmenares was Bayan Muna representative from 2007 to 2016 and has sought a senate seat in the past three elections.
Bayan Muna Davao is exploring possible legal action against these persons distributing card and fake money, and advises Davaoeños to report any such incidence in their community.
“We strongly advise the Dabawenyo public to be vigilant and careful in dealing with individuals who are offering fake and/or real money from questionable or suspicious sources,” Sissay said. (davaotoday.com)
Bayan Muna, davao city, philippines
