Disqualification case to be lodged vs Palparan
04/27/2009 | 10:38 PM
MANILA, Philippines - Militant groups are set to lodge a disqualification case against Bantay party-list Rep. Jovito Palparan, whom they blame for the killing of activists during his stint as a military general.
A media advisory sent to reporters said Bayan Muna chair Rey Lesaca, Gabriela party-list Rep. Liza Maza, and Erlinda Cadapan, mother of missing University of the Philippines student Sherlyn Cadapan, would file the complaint Tuesday afternoon before the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal.
In a press conference Monday, Bayan Muna Representatives Satur Ocampo and Teodoro Casino said they are trying to protect the integrity of the party-list system by seeking Palparan's disqualification. They said among the issues they will raise against him is his suitability for public office and his human rights record.
The militant lawmakers claim that Palparan cannot be considered "marginalized" since he was an "influential" former general.
Palparan has been blamed for the series of killings of activist leaders in Central Luzon back when he was assigned there as Army Major General. On Monday, he took his oath as Representative of Bantay party-list, which represents marginalized forces in peace and order such as security guards, village watchmen, and Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit (Cafgu).
Despite militant lawmakers' vehement opposition to his occupation of a House seat, Palparan said he has no problem working with them.
"I have taken my oath already and the Speaker said it’s legal already so I just want to follow the mandate under legal procedures. As of now I don’t know their plans," he said in a press conference after he and several other new new party-list representatives met with Speaker Prospero Nograles.
"I will simply abide by the rules of Congress and sitting beside them is no problem with me. I don’t know with them but I have no problem with them," Palparan added.
Even as he said he is open to having a dialogue with the militant lawmakers, Palparan said the moves to discredit him are part of a "propaganda war" between communist insurgents and the government.
For his part, new Banat party-list Rep. Salvador Britanico, who was part of the 1978 Interim Batasan and the 1984 Batasan Pambansa, said party-list representation is not limited to the marginalized.
"It is a misconception that the party-list representative is merely reserved for the marginalized," said Britanico in the same press conference. "There are professionals [who represent party-lists] who are certainly not marginalized."
Nograles agreed with Britanico. "The guys who are here now do not represent themselves, they are representing a party-list."
"You are electing a party-list and whoever the party-list nominates, that is their concern," he added. - Johanna Camille Sisante, GMANews.TV
A media advisory sent to reporters said Bayan Muna chair Rey Lesaca, Gabriela party-list Rep. Liza Maza, and Erlinda Cadapan, mother of missing University of the Philippines student Sherlyn Cadapan, would file the complaint Tuesday afternoon before the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal.
In a press conference Monday, Bayan Muna Representatives Satur Ocampo and Teodoro Casino said they are trying to protect the integrity of the party-list system by seeking Palparan's disqualification. They said among the issues they will raise against him is his suitability for public office and his human rights record.
The militant lawmakers claim that Palparan cannot be considered "marginalized" since he was an "influential" former general.
Palparan has been blamed for the series of killings of activist leaders in Central Luzon back when he was assigned there as Army Major General. On Monday, he took his oath as Representative of Bantay party-list, which represents marginalized forces in peace and order such as security guards, village watchmen, and Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit (Cafgu).
Despite militant lawmakers' vehement opposition to his occupation of a House seat, Palparan said he has no problem working with them.
"I have taken my oath already and the Speaker said it’s legal already so I just want to follow the mandate under legal procedures. As of now I don’t know their plans," he said in a press conference after he and several other new new party-list representatives met with Speaker Prospero Nograles.
"I will simply abide by the rules of Congress and sitting beside them is no problem with me. I don’t know with them but I have no problem with them," Palparan added.
Even as he said he is open to having a dialogue with the militant lawmakers, Palparan said the moves to discredit him are part of a "propaganda war" between communist insurgents and the government.
For his part, new Banat party-list Rep. Salvador Britanico, who was part of the 1978 Interim Batasan and the 1984 Batasan Pambansa, said party-list representation is not limited to the marginalized.
"It is a misconception that the party-list representative is merely reserved for the marginalized," said Britanico in the same press conference. "There are professionals [who represent party-lists] who are certainly not marginalized."
Nograles agreed with Britanico. "The guys who are here now do not represent themselves, they are representing a party-list."
"You are electing a party-list and whoever the party-list nominates, that is their concern," he added. - Johanna Camille Sisante, GMANews.TV
