NEWS AT A GLANCE

May 10 election irrelevant to the masses – PILC

The Public Interest Law Center (PILC), a group of lawyers giving free legal services to grassroots sectors, has branded as “irrelevant to the masses” the coming presidential election. “We are opposed to military adventurism and “no-el” as a matter of principle, the PILC said in a statement. “For these reasons, we seriously consider the people’s options in the coming May 10, 2004 elections.

“The options are indeed bleak.”

In a May 2 statement, the lawyers’ group said that neither President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo nor actor Fernando Poe, Jr. – the top contenders for the presidency – deserve the people’s vote.

“On the one hand, GMA has conceded virtual basing rights to the American troops and supported U.S. wars of aggression, even spreading the same within the borders of our country, to clinch American patronage for her election bid. Though she now basks in the adulation of big business, it is undeniable that the same business leaders have previously criticized her boundless thirst for power as aggravating and further bringing our economy in dire straits.  The masses see that the so-called ‘intelligence’ and ‘experience’ which she boasts of as her edge over her closest rival are nothing but her brilliance at preserving her own hold on power and proven track record in carrying out the twin policies of globalization and all-out war.

 “On the other hand, FPJ has nothing to offer the people in terms of an alternative program of government, and merely relies on his popularity as a screen idol to propel him to Malacañang…The electorate is left to conjecture about what he stands for on the basis of his well-known association with the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, the disgraced former President Joseph Estrada and their cronies.  Indeed, FPJ’s so-called ‘sincerity’ has a most hollow ring to it.”

The PILC also said that the prospect of Sen. Panfilo Lacson, “running for president to save himself from charges of human rights violations, corruption and suspected connections with international illegal drugs syndicates,” replacing Poe as the candidate of the united opposition is an even worse one.

“With GMA and FPJ at the top of the pack, the May 10 race is nothing but another farce,” the PILC said. “With the present election reduced to the false choice between GMA and FPJ (or possibly Ping Lacson) who are no different from each other, the electorate continues to be deprived of the opportunity through this election to effect even the smallest reforms in government and in society and make even the smallest dent on elite rule.”

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Anakpawis demands justice for slain coordinators, officials

Anakpawis national chairperson and first party-list nominee Crispin Beltran slammed President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), saying she is responsible for the growing list of murdered members and officials of his party, as well as affiliated party Bayan Muna.

Beltran voiced this denunciation of the president at the Anakpawis miting de avance last May 1.

“The president has not lifted a finger to stop the AFP from butchering civilians and Anakpawis and Bayan Muna supporters, coordinators and officials,” Beltran said. “It is her duty and responsibility, both as the commander-in-chief of the AFP and the highest official in the land, to stop the abuses of the military and punish those who have perpetrated vicious crimes against civilians and political activists. So far, almost 50 members of the progressive party-lists have been brutally slain and thousands subjected to various forms of human rights violations ranging from verbal threats to actual psychological and physical harassment.”

The veteran labor leader also said that all units of the AFP should be sent back to barracks and not allowed to be around the civilian populace during the remainder of the election period. He said that the AFP should be told to keep away from communities and schools effective immediately and not just on May 10. “The military should remain in their barracks until after the last ballot has been tallied and counted. No doubt there will be even greater bloodshed and more civilian casualties if the military is allowed to continue roaming around like packs of rabid, ravenous wolves,” he said.

“The main agenda of the military this election period is to kill as many members and supporters of Anakpawis, Bayan Muna and their four other sister party-lists in the demented goal of defeating their bid to strengthen the people's representation in Congress.”

Beltran demands from the president a direct order to the military to stop harassing and killing members and coordinators of progressive party-list groups. “She has no right to present herself as worthy of the Filipino people's trust and votes on May 10 if she cannot even control the AFP and protect the human, civil and political rights of the electorate,” he said. 

Bulatlat.com 

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