AFP to voters: Reject party-list bets

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) endorsed yesterday calls made by National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales for voters to reject candidates of party-list groups serving as fronts for communist rebels in the May 14 elections.

"We are not trying to enter politics. What we are trying to do is make the people aware that those who are supporting communism hinder our country’s progress," Maj. Michael Samson, commander of the AFP Civil Relations Group in Metro Manila, said.

He declined to identify these party-list groups, citing the military’s non-partisan stand in any political exercise.

On Sunday, Gonzales said the entry of party-list groups in the May elections does not signify reforms or modernization.

"They are merely manipulating the weaknesses of mainstream politics to pursue their dictatorial agenda," he said.

Samson said that for many years, the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army — through front organizations such as party-list political groups — have been trying to penetrate the country’s political system as part of their strategy to grab power by infiltrating and weakening the government.

"We are just concerned (with) the communist advocacy of violence and armed struggle," Samson said, defending the AFP’s call for the people not to vote for these party-list candidates.

He said the AFP believes that communist party-list groups should not be voted into power because they obstruct the country’s progress.

He called on Filipinos to stand united against the insurgents for hindering and obstructing the delivery of government services to the people, especially the underprivileged.

Samson brushed aside insinuations that in issuing this call for the people not to vote for left-leaning party-list candidates, the AFP is openly campaigning against candidates of these party-list groups.

"When it comes to elections, we (AFP) are non-partisan. Our only responsibility is to vote," he pointed out.

Meanwhile, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) is set to begin a massive education campaign to issue moral guidance and promote responsible voting among Filipinos.

Arguing that it is necessary to prepare voters before they troop to poll precincts on May 14, the CBCP has tapped the Parish Pastoral Council on Responsible Voting (PPCRV) and National Secretariat for Social Action, Justice and Peace (NASSA) in its campaign.

PPCRV Chairwoman Henrietta de Villa said dioceses and parishes of the Catholic Church all over the country are expected to participate in the education campaign, which she said would start immediately after their meeting with NASSA officers tomorrow.

Sources in the Church also revealed that the CBCP will come up with election guidelines after its semi-annual plenary assembly at the end of this month.

Some bishops earlier vowed to campaign against elected officials seeking reelection who were involved in illegal gambling or in last year’s foiled plot by the administration to railroad Charter change through constituent assembly.

"We will give voters the necessary education so they could have broader perspective on the value of election and the importance of choosing the right candidates," De Villa said in an interview aired over Church-run Radio Veritas.

The PPCRV has been the Church’s watchdog in past elections.

De Villa said part of the education campaign is a radio program, "Boto Ko, Dangal Ko (My Vote, My Honor)" that will be aired on Radio Veritas from 10 to 11 a.m. every Sunday starting Jan. 28.

De Villa, formerly the country’s ambassador to the Vatican, said the Church realizes the need to "change the culture of election and politics in the Philippines."

She said the radio program was created primarily to "awaken people so they would know how crucial the power given to them during election and how this right could erase margin between the rich and poor."

De Villa clarified it was meant only to guide voters, saying they "will and should ultimately make their own decision. They are intelligent but have not been given a chance. Poverty really has an effect on the elections."

She said the Church remains optimistic that Filipino voters have become more vigilant in making their choices during elections, adding that this vigilance could be the key to also change politicians who engage in vote-buying.

De Villa said their education campaign will last until March, when the PPCRV will focus on poll watching and monitoring activities. She stressed they would take the program as an opportunity to gather volunteers for the elections.

She admitted they would need at least 432,000 volunteers to be able to deploy two watchers in every precinct nationwide and called on people to join the PPCRV’s election monitoring operations.

"We just want to tell the people that we still have enough time to make our choice. Let us support candidates who are capable and sincere and not those who we think are corrupt," De Villa said. — With Edu Punay