April 14, 2010
PRESS RELEASE
In a picket rally led by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan today (April 14), the militant group revealed that they plan to sue the 69th IB of the Armed Forces of the Philippines for culpable violation of the Omnibus Election Code which prohibits members of the AFP from directly or indirectly participating in any election campaign.
Section 261 of the Omnibus Election Code states the prohibition of any member of Armed Forces of the Philippines, or any police force, special forces, home defense forces, barangay self-defense units and all other para-military units that now exist or which may hereafter be organized who, directly or indirectly, intervenes in any election campaign or engages in any partisan political activity, except to vote or to preserve public order, if he is a peace officer.
“There is indeed a clear violation of the law here perpetrated by the members of the AFP. We will be submitting a formal complaint to our legal department in our national office for immediate legal action,” John Birondo said, Bayan Southern Mindanao Regional Spokeperson.
Birondo likewise pointed that the military violated the Article IX-B, Section 2(4) of the 1987 Constitution and Section 55 of the Administrative Code of 1987, which states that “No officer or employee in the civil service shall engage, directly or indirectly, in any electioneering or partisan political campaign” and “No officer or employee in the Civil Service including members of the Armed Forces, shall engage, directly or indirectly, in any partisan political activity or take part in any election except to vote nor shall he use his official authority or influence to coerce the political activity of any other person or body”.
Birondo,who also serves as convenor of the Kontra Daya, an electoral watchdog revealed that there are already several complaints against the military not only in the region but all over the country.
Kontra Daya is a broad network of various organization and individuals; religious, artists, concerned citizens, activists, youth and students, lawyers, IT experts, and teachers who are committed against election fraud and the failure of election.
Earlier, Makabayan or Makabayang Koalisyon ng Mamamayan which is composed of the progressive candidates and partylists likewise bared cases of harassments and direct involvement of the military in campaigning against the progressive groups in Pantukan, Compostela Valley, Baganga, Davao Oriental and other parts of the region.
Birondo presented to the public and to the members of the media pictures which he took himself during a forum conducted by the elements of the 69th IB at the Philippine College of Technology on April 6.
“The military conducted to batches of forum at a school. We also have a recorded audio of what transpired during the said forum, ” Birondo said.
In the said forum, the military urged the students of PCT not to join or support the progressive partylist groups which they said are “New Peoples Army fronts” and which purportedly use their respective “pork barrel” from Congress to support the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines.
Meanwhile, Representative Liza Maza of Gabriela and a senatorial candidate of Makabayan challenged the COMELEC to conduct a probe on the matter.
She pointed that “The malicious linking of progressive party-lists to the CPP-NPA is an old issue that has yet to be proven by those who seek to destroy the credibility of individuals and groups–individuals who aspirte to continue serving the people in and out of government,” Maza said.
Maza said that Gabriela, Bayan Muna, and Anakpawis have not been receiving their respective Priority Development Assistance Fund – more commonly known as the “pork barrel” – since 2004 due to them as they are critics of the Arroyo administration. (Bulatlat.com)
For reference: Mr. John Birondo, Bayan Regional Spokesperon
