MANILA, Philippines ? Leaders of militant groups and families of victims of extrajudicial killings petitioned the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET) on Tuesday to stop retired army general Jovito Palparan from taking a seat in Congress since he was a ?man of power? and did not represent a marginalized sector.

?Far from belonging to a marginalized and underrepresented sector, respondent Jovito Palparan, Jr. is a ?man of power,? and in fact, he continues to wield power even after his retirement from military service with the rank of major general,? the 14-page petition for quo warranto said.

?The truth is respondent Jovito Palparan, Jr. was never a marginalized individual, but for practically more than half of his life, he has wielded power by virtue of his being a high-ranking officer of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, for which he has been accused, and widely believe to have committed, a plethora of human rights violations, including the extrajudicial killings of legal activists,? it added.

Palparan is with the Bantay partylist, which represents victims of communist rebels, Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) or government militia, former rebels and security guards.

The petition was filed by Dr. Reynaldo Lesaca Jr., chairperson of Bayan Muna; Cristina Palabay, secretary general of Gabriela Women?s party; Renato Reyes Jr., secretary general of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan; Erlinda Cadapan, founding member of Hustisya, an organization of the families of victims of extra-judicial killings and enforced disappearances during the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo; Antonio Flores of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas; and Joselito Ustarez of Anakpawis.

The petitioners said that the Supreme Court and the Partylist law clearly spell out that partylist nominees should belong to the marginalized and underrepresented sector that they claim to represent.

Palparan is not an alleged victim of communist rebels or a former rebel, neither is he a security guard, the petitioners said.

Allowing Palparan to take a post in the House would be tantamount to ?bastardization? of the partylist system, they said.

?There is no doubt that military generals, and their police counterparts, are at the helm of power in Philippine society. They wield enormous powers while they are in the service. A great many of them are known to live in luxury and comfort in exclusive villages and subdivisions. In retirement, they continue to exercise power and influence and wallow in privilege. They are even appointed to top government positions,? they added.