Offline, online campaigns to block 'Arroyo dynasty' at House

Vowing to block an Arroyo dynasty at the House of Representatives, a party-list group on Monday launched a campaign to discourage voters from electing President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and four of her relatives into public office. At a press conference in Quezon City, Akbayan party-list officials said a voters' education drive, internet activism through social networking sites, a “people-oriented shame campaign," and a party-list watch that would expose “bogus" party-list groups will all be part of its “Deny the Five" campaign against the Arroyos. The group launched the campaign after Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel "Mikey" Macapagal Arroyo said at least five party-lists groups have asked him to be their nominee for a House seat. But Mikey just brushed off Akbayan's plan, telling GMANews.TV over the phone that the group has “been campaigning against this administration since time immemorial." “We've been winning in our localities of interest, party-lists, districts of interests. I don't see it will make a difference," he said. 'A bastardization of the party-list system There are four Arroyos in the current 14th Congress: Mikey, his younger brother Camarines Sur Rep. Dato Arroyo, their uncle Negros Occidental Rep. Iggy Arroyo, and their aunt Ma. Lourdes T. Arroyo of Ang Kasangga party-list. President Arroyo is running for representative of Pampanga's second district, which Mikey currently represents. If she, Dato, and Iggy win in their respective districts — and Ang Kasangga and the party-list Mikey might be a nominee of — wins, there will be a total of five Arroyos in the 15th Congress. [See: Who's running and where? A GMANews.TV interactive map] Mikey's possible entry into the House as a party-list representative was a "bastardization" of the party-list system, which is supposed to give voice to marginalized sectors, Etta Rosales, a three-term representative of Akbayan, said. "The fact that these Arroyos are running in the party-list system is in itself a violation of the spirit of the law," she said. A total of 187 party-lists have been accredited by the Commission on Elections. Besides Ang Kasangga, there are at least 11 other "dubious" party-lists possible linked to the Arroyo administration, Akbayan said. These are: Babae Ka, Kakusa, Banat, Bantay, Agbiag!, Anak, LYPAD, ANAD, Biyaheng Pinoy, Bigkis Pinoy, and Aangat Tayo. Four of these groups — Banat, Bantay, Kakusa, and ANAD — currently have elected representatives in the House. One of them, Bantay party-list Rep. Jovito Palparan, is a controversial retired Army general known for his strong anti-communist campaigns under the Arroyo administration. "These (party-list groups) could provide the private army of GMA (Gloria Macapagal Arroyo) that will be her supproters in the event that she wins a seat and then she will become Speaker of the House given the fact that right now they cannot really rely on district representatives because a lot of the locals are now jumping ship," Rosales said. The list of accredited party-lists' nominees will not be submitted until March 26. If Mikey accepts a party-list nomination, Akbayan is willing to contest it before the Comelec, said Akbayan legal counsel Ibarra Gutierrez, a law professor at the University of the Philippines. Gutierrez said “under no circumstances will anyone believe [Mikey] to be a representative of the marginalized." “There is still the possibility of actually pursuing legal remedies before the Comelec against nung pagtakbo ng mga ganitong klaseng tao (against the candidacy of these kinds of people)," Gutierrez said. Why so worried? Even as he shrugged off the information drive against him and his family, Mikey said it was too early to decry his possible nomination as a party-list representative. “I only said that at least five party-lists are inviting me, whether to be the first or second nominee, but I haven't said yes to any of them so I don't know why they (Akbayan) are so worried," said the Pampanga congressman. “If you ask me right now the more attractive alternative is to spend more time with my family," Mikey added. Asked which among the party-lists are offering to have him as their representative, Mikey only said these are all accredited party-list groups, some of which have already won in previous elections. These same party-lists do not include his aunt's Ang Kasangga, Mikey said. The presidential son also took a swipe at Akbayan for “meddling" into other party-lists' plans. “Other party-lists don't meddle into the internal affairs of other party-lists. I don't know why they don't want to respect that code of ethics," he said. Mikey said it was unfair to immediately judge him as someone who cannot represent the marginalized as he pointed out other party-lists representatives, including Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros, also came from privileged families. Hontiveros is running for senator under the Liberal Party, whose members are known for criticizing the Arroyo administration. - GMANews.TV