By LYN V. RAMO
Bulatlat.com
MANILA — One of the alleged bogus party list groups did not show up at yesterday’s hearing on the disqualification case filed against it before the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
Katribu party list earlier filed the case against Eugenio Insigne, first nominee of Agapay ng Indigenous Peoples Rights Alliance (A-IPRA).
Beverly Longid, Katribu first nominee and president asserted that Insigne, a former government official, could not claim to be marginalized. Insigne gave up his post as national chairperson of the National Commission of Indigenous Peoples (NCIP).
Kartibu saiid Insigne has directly engaged in electioneering or partisan activity, citing that he allegedly used his post as chair of the NCIP in distributing A-IPRA calendars in Baguio City and Ifugao, both in the Cordillera.
Comelec would decide on the petition after A-IPRA, Insigne or his lawyers failed to appear without any formal explanation.
Insigne has not filed an answer to Katribu’s petition.
Records of the Comelec Division I revealed that the copy of the petition was received by the Comelec Office in Region III as said petition might not have been received at the address of the respondent. The address is also the address indicated in A-IPRA’s petition for accreditation under the party-list system.
Katribu through its legal counsel Julius Garcia Matibag filed a manifestation to consider the petition served and asserted that by its inaction, the respondent waived his rights to submit an answer.
Matibag also noted that Insigne is aware of the petition for disqualification as his liaison called the petitioner to confirm if indeed Katribu filed a disqualification against Insigne.
Comelec ordered petitioner to submit its memorandum within 48 hours from April 19. The division was chaired by Commissioner Rene Sarmiento.
Meanwhile, a group of supporters staged a short picket and noise barrage in front of the Comelec to put additional pressure on the commission en banc to act on the disqualification cases of what they deemed as fake party-list groups. They especially mentioned A-IPRA, Ang NCIP, ATM, and several others linked to the administration of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. (Bulatlat.com)
