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Women oppose Macalintal's appointment as Comelec chairman
UPDATED 4:00 p.m. - Women's groups on Thursday expressed their opposition to the possible appointment of election lawyer Romulo Macalintal as the new chairman of the Commission on Elections (Comelec). Elizabeth Angsioco, national chairperson of the Democratic Socialist Women of the Philippines (DSWP), said, âAtty. Macalintal may be a good election lawyer but his being a religious conservative and his intolerance to views opposing his are dangerous. We need more progressive or at the very least open-minded people in COMELEC.â DSWP a national federation of almost 300 community womenâs groups with around 40,000 individual members. âWe must remember that Macalintal, together with Prolife Philippines harassed and shouted at Catholic reproductive health (RH) advocates, virtually calling them Satan outside the Manila Cathedral on 20 November last year," Angsioco said in a statement issued on Thursday. "Macalintalâs intolerance, even arrogance, was caught on video. He was also seen trying to grab one of the cameras. Thus, the prospect of having someone like him calling the shots in COMELEC is quite alarming," Angsioco added. Together with other advocates, Catholic pro-RH community women, went to the Cathedral on November 20 because of Prolifeâs open invitation to a discernment discussion on the RH bill. The advocates were allegedly shooed away and labelled as "Satan" by Macalintalâs group. âIrrelevant, shallowâ Macalintal however just brushed aside DSWPâs criticisms, describing the groupâs claims as âirrelevant" and âshallow." âWala namang kinalaman âyung sinasabi nila sa posisyong ito. Napakalayo at napakababaw ng pananaw nila sa bagay na ito," he told GMANews.TV in a phone interview on Thursday. The election lawyer, who served as former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyoâs counsel during her administration, also said he does not care what critics have to say. âBahala sila kung ano ang gusto nilang gawin. Hindi ako natatakot sa sasabihin ng tao. Gagawa ako ng desisyon batay sa batas ng Diyos at tao," he said. He added that he is not yet sure whether he will accept the post of Comelec chairperson if President Benigno Simeon Aquino III offers him the position. âGusto ko lang malaman nila na hindi ko pa tinatanggap âyung posisyon at hindi ko pa alam kung tatanggapin ko ito kung ako ang mapili. Kay Presidente ko lang maaaring sabihin âyun," he said. âStrongâ opposition Angsioco however asserted that the Aquino administration should be âforewarned" about Macalintalâs âattitude" towards RH bill advocates and groups. "What will a Chair like Macalintal do in the face of pro-RH candidates and party list groups? How will he decide for instance, on issues of representation of gays and lesbians? Or those favoring the re-legalization of divorce? Will his intolerance be reflected in his decisions?" Angsioco asked. Angsioco said, "The government should not take this risk for surely, this will be met with strong opposition from candidates and pro-RH organizations alike.â âWe strongly oppose Macalintal for COMELEC [chairpersonship]. After all, there is no dearth of qualified candidates for the post," she said. "We call on the Liberal Party to review its support for Macalintal and on Pres. Aquino to NOT APPOINT a conservative and intolerant person to hold the highest position in this very important body," she added. â with Andreo Calonzo, VVP, GMANews.TV
Tags: romulomacalintal, comelec
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