Ex-CHR chair, youth groups: Reject party-lists with ties to pol dynasties

MANILA, Philippines — Former human rights chair Etta Rosales and various youth organizations on Tuesday called on the public to reject party-lists with ties to political dynasties and government officials.

In a press conference in Manila less than a week before the midterm elections on May 13, Rosales and several youth groups bared what they called “Kamag-Anak Inc.”

“Kamag-Anak Inc.” is a list of 38 party-list groups with relations to political dynasties and families in government positions.

“The people who are running in the party-list, they don’t represent ordinary people. You get more family members, more people from political dynasties and the people of the Philippines, the citizens who need government to work for them the most are not those who benefit, they don’t gain from it at all,” Cassie de Luria of Akbayan Youth said.

With this, the youth leaders called on voters not to give party-lists groups with ties to political dynasties a chance to be elected in office.

Former human rights chair Etta Rosales, together with various youth organizations, discourage Filipinos to vote for party-list groups with ties to political dynasties and families in government position. Photo by Christia Ramos/INQUIRER.net

“This is another form of theft, isa itong porma ng pagnanakaw, ninanakaw nila ang espasyo na binigay ng party-list system para sa mga sektor na madalas na walang boses sa politika,” said Rafaela David, Executive Director of the Center for Youth Advocacy and Networking.

“Ang panawagan po namin sa kapwa Pilipino at lalo na sa mga kabataan, wag hayaang ma-highjack ang party-list system,” David added.

Rosales and the groups said among the party-list nominees included in the said “Kamag-Anak Inc.” is 3rd nominee of 1PACMAN who is the brother of former senator and now running for a fresh term at the Senate Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr.

They also mentioned the 1st nominees of party-list groups 1AAAP and Metro, who are both related to former House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez.

Further, Rosales said that while political dynasties have secured seats in Congress, the Philippines will not prosper because of this strategy.

“Apela ko rito, dyan sa mga dynasty-clad families, habang nariyan kayo at and iniisip lang ninyo ay magpayaman at pagyamamin ang bulsa ninyo at meron kayong upuan sa Kongreso, kokontrolin ninyo ang Kongreso, asahan ninyo walang mangyayari sa kapayapaan at pagunlad ng ating lipunan,” the former human rights chief said.

According to the Commission on Elections, a total of 134 party-list groups will participate in the upcoming midterm elections in a bid to have a seat in the House of Representatives. /jpv