Arroyo allies turn tables on Lopezes over Marcos comparison

MANILA, Philippines — President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s allies at the House of Representatives on Wednesday turned the tables on the Lopezes for comparing the present administration to that of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos. At least three lawmakers were one in saying that unlike during Marcos’ rule, the Lopezes who run the Manila Electric Co. are now totally free to air their sentiments. On Tuesday, Oscar M. Lopez, the patriarch of the Lopez family, said that with the Arroyo administration’s attempt to seize control of the Manila Electric Company (Meralco), it is as though the Marcos’ dictatorship never ended. “It is happening again today, as officials of both the executive and legislative branches of government are ganging up on the Lopez management in Meralco when their real gripe is with ABS-CBN," said in a speech during the forum on “Leadership in Times of Crisis" in Makati City. The state pension fund Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), which has a 22-percent stake in Meralco, wants to take over the power firm, claiming that the Lopez family had been mismanaging it and overpricing energy rates to the detriment of consumers. Lopez claimed that the government’s attempt to seize control of the Meralco was actually targeted at ABS-CBN, the Lopez family’s flagship, which had been critical of the administration. But Rep. Edcel Lagman of Albay, chairman of the House appropriations committee, said the comparison was “intellectually dishonest" because “we have right now the rule of law, democratic space and freedom of the press." Elpidio Barzaga of Cavite said the allegation is baseless since under the free-spirited press policy of the Arroyo government, no media entity – the Lopezes’ ABS-CBN included – was ever muzzled or censored, even if the broadcast news it was airing was anti-government. “ABS-CBN can run any program it wants, air any opinion it holds, and broadcast any news it deems fit for public consumption – all free from censorship. I think that is the standard by which we should gauge if press freedom has been denied to this entity," he said. “It is a very wrong analogy. He (Lopez) is enjoying all his liberty. We (lawmakers) are not against them. We are just doing our job and our obligation to the Filipino people. We want to know kung tama ang pagpapatakbo ng Meralco," Barzaga added. Rep. Bienvenido Abante of Manila said that unlike during martial rule, critics of Mrs. Arroyo are now totally free to air their sentiments. “Sobra naman si Oscar Lopez. Magagawa ba nila iyung ginagawa nila ngayon kung parang Marcos dictatorship ang gobyerno? (Can they don what they are doing now if the administration is like the Marcos dictatorship)?" he said. At least two other lawmakers, however, voiced concerns about the government’s planned takeover of the utility firm, the country’s largest power distribution company, whose power rates are touted as the second highest in Asia. “Well it appears that the means and attempt employed to take over Meralco is the rule of power and not of law. Again, GSIS must be cautious as it creates an atmosphere of martial law as what the Lopezes are trying to picture the present intra-corporate fight," said Rep. Rodolfo Plaza of Agusan del Sur. Rep. Teddyboy Locsin of Makati said: “Who can blame Oscar (Lopez) when he sees a Romualdez and Marcos men going after Meralco in the Senate and the House of Representatives?" Locsin was referring to the government takeover of Meralco in the 70s after Marcos placed the country under martial rule. Kokoy Romualdez, brother of former first lady Imelda Marcos, became head of the power firm until the regime was toppled in a popular uprising in early 1986. - GMANews.TV