PHNO-HT: HUNDREDS TURN UP IN RALLY TO BACK 'AKO BICOL' PARTY-LIST GROUP


HUNDREDS TURN UP IN RALLY TO BACK 'AKO BICOL'
PARTY-LIST GROUP


[PHOTO - HUNDREDS of
supporters of Ako Bicol gather at the Peñaranda Park in Legazpi City to show
their support to the party-list group. JUAN ESCANDOR
JR./INQUIRER SOUTHERN LUZON]
LEGAZPI CITY, OCTOBER 22, 2012
(INQUIRER) By Mar S. Arguelles Inquirer Southern Luzon -
Hundreds of supporters of the party-list group Ako Bicol (AKB) trooped to
the streets here on Thursday to denounce the decision of the Commission on
Election (Comelec) to disqualify AKB in next year's elections.
More than 2,000 villagers, representing many of Bicol's poorest, walked the
three-kilometer stretch of Rizal Street from Quezon Avenue in the city's
downtown to Peñaranda Park in Albay District.
The protesters, wearing yellow and black armbands, carried streamers with
slogans supporting the AKB party-list as they paraded on Rizal Street.
AKB Rep. Rodel Batocabe said the protesters came from the six Bicol provinces
and ended their activity with a prayer rally for Comelec to reconsider its
decision and recognize AKB as a legitimate party-list group.
AKB garnered 1.5 million votes in the 2010 elections, giving it three seats
in the House of Representatives.
Batocabe said the protesters are from different sectors in the region like
youth, farmers, fishermen, women and tribal communities who had received help
and had been represented by AKB in the House.
Batocabe and other AKB Representatives Alfredo Garbin and Christopher Co
started the day with the distribution of CFL (compact fluorescent lights) to
1,500 poor families in Tabaco City.
The group also distributed hand tractors to several farmers' groups in Albay.

In a statement, Sen. Koko Pimentel said the Senate should investigate the
Comelec decision to delist AKB since it would mean massive disenfranchisement of
the group's constituents.
Bicolano Senators Francis "Chiz" Escudero and Gregorio "Gringo" Honasan
earlier criticized the Comelec ruling.
Albay Gov. Joey Salceda also said he was "dismayed" by the Comelec decision.

Garbin said groups seeking AKB's ouster are jealous of the massive support
for the group.
"The Bicol region is the fourth poorest in terms of the number of poor
families," said Garbin.
"The geographic persistence of poverty in the region can only be structural
in character and could only be resolved by structural remedies, one of which is
greater representation in Congress," Salceda earlier said.
Sexed-up hearing turns white-haired poll chief's face red
By Jocelyn R. Uy Philippine Daily Inquirer 2:17 am | Saturday,
October 20th, 2012

From circus to sitcom.
Clowns professing serious political plans might have characterized the
earlier filing of candidacy at the Commission on Elections (Comelec), but
Friday's hearing for rejected candidates turned up a colorful cast that left
even the chair of the election body in stitches.
An internal squabble among members of Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL) led one
of its candidates to declare that there were "too many idiots in this country,"
while another senatorial hopeful claiming to be the "heir" of the supposed
rightful owner of the Philippine archipelago, presented several gold medals
allegedly given him by past presidents for him to keep mum about his family
treasures.
But what sent the session hall into guffaws was the brief flirting episode
between a 75-year-old widow and Comelec Chair Sixto Brillantes, that had the
Comelec chair blushing furiously.
2 KBL leaders

The Comelec earlier gave the green light to 27 senatorial hopefuls, while
giving the rest of the 84 candidates a chance to justify their bid at a two-day
hearing.
With KBL leaders Vicente Millora and Jaime Opinion separately presenting a
certification of nomination and acceptance (Cona) for the party's senatorial
slate as party president, several KBL candidates registered confusion. Among
them was Alma Abella who, out of exasperation, declared: "The two [leaders] do
not understand each other. There's a lot of idiots in this country right? That's
why I'm getting a headache."
"We are close to having a headache ourselves," Brillantes countered,
eliciting laughter.
But Brillantes' impending headache seemed to have been banished by the
red-clad Norma Nueva, who said her platform would focus on uplifting the plight
of solo parents, abused wives and neglected widows.
"So actually, your advocacy is to help the byudas (widows) … what about the
byudos (widowers) like me?" asked the chair.
In response, the 75-year-old widow said it was a pleasure to know that
Brillantes was single like her.
Available and negotiable
"Chairman, may asim pa ho ako at may anghang pa ho ako (I've still got it) …
I'm very much available and negotiable and it will be an honor to have the
chairman as my future," said Nueva, who became a candidate of Partido Manggagawa
Magsasaka after learning that Opinion had withdrawn KBL's Cona.
She added that it had been 19 years since she felt her heart flutter, to
which Brillantes playfully replied, "For me, it has been 20 years."
The exchange sent the entire session hall into guffaws, with the four other
election commissioners present—Rene Sarmiento, Grace Padaca, Lucenito Tagle and
Armando Velasco—joining in. Brillantes, who turned scarlet at the laughter, also
joined in.
Sarmiento then asked Nueva if she also has the "asim" to launch a nationwide
campaign, given her age. The widow confidently said that she had many supporters
in the 2004 elections.
"How many votes did you get?" Sarmiento followed up.
"I'm having a memory lapse, but I had plenty [of votes]," Nueva said.
Squabbling
On a more serious note, Brillantes said he felt bad about the squabbling at
KBL, a party for which he said he has a high regard.
"You are making a mess of your party … you all don't understand each other,"
Brillantes said.
KBL candidate Melchor Chavez said he was officially nominated by the party
and that he had submitted two certificates of candidacy separately signed by
Opinion and Millora.
With Opinion withdrawing his Cona, Chavez said he still had his Cona filed by
Millora, "who is our party president."
But Brillantes told Chavez that Millora should have been present at the
hearing to enlighten the en banc as to how and when he became KBL president.

"As far as the records of the commission are concerned, it's Jaime Opinion,"
the Comelec chair said.
Said Chavez: "You may call our president, Millora, to shed light on the
squabbling in our party, but as far as I know, the commission has no business
with our party."
A deadpan Brillantes replied, "Since you say we have no business about your
party, then we better cancel your accreditation today."
Grandpa gave Guam to US
The two-hour hearing ended with the appearance of Salam Lacan Luisong Tagean,
the "heir" of the supposed rightful owner of the Philippine archipelago, who
presented several gold medals allegedly given him by past presidents for him to
keep quiet about his family treasures.
Tagean also presented documents that included what he claimed was the "Treaty
of Paris."
"My great grandfather gave Guam to America because of the Treaty of Paris,"
he said.
The Comelec chair humored Tagean who appeared at the hearing wearing
sunglasses and a red keffiyeh. "Do you know what the Treaty of Paris is, because
we weren't born yet at that time," Brillantes asked.
"Even I wasn't alive yet [at that time], but my documents don't lie," Tagean
said.


Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2012 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE
All
rights reserved




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